Berezino regional executive committee

Belarus has reported its first coronavirus infection, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry.

“The National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology informed that one of the tests for coronavirus came back positive on 27 February. The infected person is a student from Iran who arrived in Belarus on a flight from Baku on 22 February. The patient and the people who contacted with him were taken off to Minsk Hospital of Infectious Diseases. The young man is in satisfactory condition,” the press service informed.

Taking into consideration the recent developments, the Healthcare Ministry issued a decision to extend medical examinations and laboratory tests to all people arriving from the Republic of Korea, Iran and Italy starting from 20 February.

Belarus is taking action to prevent the spread of the infection.

It is spring in Minsk. Not only because winter has never come. Spring mood is already in the air. Valentine's Day, Defenders of the Fatherland Day... Congratulations, gifts... The best family gift is your own apartment! Park Chelyuskintsev residential complex will be running a festive promo until the end of February offering certain apartments at very attractive prices!

All over the world apartments overlooking the park are considered the most prestigious, therefore they usually cost pretty good money. ThepPark Chelyuskintsevpcomplex is located right near the park of the same name and the Botanical Garden.pThanks to the promo you can choose an apartment here and buy it at a very good price by the end of the month!

Why does everyone like this place so much? The unique location of the largest park area in Minsk is a significant advantage of the complex. After all, the park and the Botanical Garden representpmore than 170 hectares of forest, gardens, greenhouses and flower beds, and also areas for games, recreation and sport.

This real estate is luxurious simply thanks to its location. Yet the complex has many other features that enhance its prestige.

This is the very center of the cityp– next to Independence Avenue and two metro stations. The infrastructure of the central avenue is literally near your home!

Independence Avenue and two metro stations are nearby

Within a walking distance you can findpgymnasiums, schools and kindergartens, polyclinics, hospitals, retail outlets and restaurants, cafes and cinemas, a sports and recreation center and a water park. Residents of the complex will have lots of opportunities to live healthy!

Every detail is meant to enhance the prestige of thepPark Chelyuskintsevpcomplex, like anpenclosed territory and a modern surveillance system, as well as convenient parking facilities.

Enclosed territory and a modern surveillance system

More than that, there will bepa kindergarten in one of the residential buildings of the complex.pThe kindergarten will have its own premises that will be fenced off. The kindergarten is being designed by the famous Japanese architect Takaharu Tezuka. There will bepsafe children's playgrounds and well-equipped workout zonespin the courtyards of the houses.

Famous Japanese architect Takaharu Tezuka is working on the design and concept of the kindergarten in the Park Chelyuskintsev complex

Apartments inptwo houses of the complex – House 1 and House 2p- are on sale now. Apartments with open terraces are also available. These two houses are under construction now.

Residents of House 1 will be able to park their cars inpwarm underground garagepthat will be accessible by an elevator. As far as House 2 is concerned, a parking facility will be located on the ground floor. The roof of the parking lot will be landscaped and used as applayground for kids and a recreation area.

The roof of the parking lot in House 2 will be landscaped and used as a playground for kids and a recreation area

Park Chelyuskintsevpwill be an ideal place for your successful business.

On the first two floors of House 1 you will be able to buypcommercial premises overlooking Independence Avenue.pAll of them are multi-purpose facilities that boast separate entrances, different floor spaces. Cafes, beauty salons, shops and boutiques, service and tourism facilities. You will be able to realize almost any of your business ideas or make money from leasing!

The first two floors of House 1 feature commercial premises overlooking Independence Avenue

You can watch the progress in the construction of the residential complex thanks to a specialpvideo tour available on the developer's website.

Modern design solutions add to the high prestige of the Park Chelyuskintsev complex.pEvery house will boast undeniable advantages of modern European construction standards:

- a base build concept,

- panoramic glazing, glazed loggias, balconies and terraces, with safe windows from the world's leading producers.

Panoramic glazing, glazed loggias, balconies and terraces

- high-speed and quiet elevators from the world's leading producer OTIS

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High-speed and quiet elevators from the world's leading producer OTIS

- spacious designer lobbies with high ceilings, a concierge desk, a cozy area to meet guests and a courier waiting zone, a restroom with a baby changing station, a dog paw washer, storage facilities for bikes and prams.

Spacious designer lobbies

We should also mentionpstunning forest airpwhich cannot be captured by camera, but which fills the whole complex with freshness and indescribable pine scent. Just imagine birds singing and chirping in the morning and squirrels hopping from branch to branch!

Park Chelyuskintsev is a piece of nature in the very center of the large city

You can save a lot if you take advantage of the promo that will run for apartments in the Park Chelyuskintsev complex till the end of February!

Considerable additional resources poured by the company's investors into construction projects have allowed preserving and improving the most attractive tool –pa unique zero-interest installment plan from the real estate developer.pThe installment plan in the Park Chelyuskintsev complex can cover the period of up to four years. No interest rates, no excess payments, no attempts to inflate the price per square meter. You will need neither income verifications nor guarantors – only your passport to sign the contract! You need to make the down payment, which can be made with a loan of up to Br40,000 from a partner bank if necessary – it can be obtained in the company's sales office without income verification or guarantors.

Our partner banks also offer attractive lending programsp– the loan can cover up to 90% of the apartment's cost and can be repaid over the period of up to 20 years. The interest rate on a Belarusbank loan will be 4.74% per annum in the first year, 9.75% in the second year and the third one, and 12.32% later on. The interest rate on a BPS-Sberbank loan will be 6.99% per annum in the first two years.

Substantial discountspare available to those, who are ready to pay for their apartment in one go – with one's own cash or by taking out a bank loan.

Let us remind you thatpan awesome promotional deal for buying apartments in the Minsk World complex is available till the end of the month!pThe price per square meter on installment plans has been reduced. Apart from that, the down payment for buying an apartment via an installment plan is now only 20%! It is a great boon for all the families strapped for cash to make the down payment.

The start of sales in the Helsinki house in the Northern Europe quarter in the Minsk World complex has also been launched this week.pFor the first time ever apartments are available fully-finishedp– you will be able to move in right after the house is commissioned!

All the details of buying an apartment on most attractive terms as part of the deal are available on the websitepbir.bypand from the company's sales office.

The sales office in the Park Chelyuskintsev complex at 11 Mstislavtsa Street (1st floor, Dana Mall), Vostok metro station, Minsk is open from 9:00 till 22:00.

Due to rush demand for apartments offered as part of the promotional deal the sales office in the Minsk World complex is open from 8:30 till 20:30 on weekdays and from 9:00 till 20:00 on weekends and holidays at 9 Mstislavtsa Street (1st floor, Dana Center), Vostok metro station, Minsk.

The mobile hotline number is 7675, fixed-line numbers are +375 17 269−32−90, +375 17 39−39−465.

A prestigious apartment can be acquired at a saving!

Belarus is a very promising and comfortable partner for Arkhangelsk Oblast. There are many avenues of bilateral cooperation the Russian region is interested in, Arkhangelsk Oblast Governor Igor Orlov told the Belarus 1 TV channel, BelTA has learned.

The delegation of the Russian region spent several days in Belarus. A cooperation promotion plan for 2020-2022 was signed during the visit. “It is my second visit to Belarus. During the first visit we signed an agreement on cooperation and joint projects. Our efforts have translated into a working protocol and the action plan,” Igor Orlov said. He noted that he is absolutely satisfied with the outcomes of the visit. He added that Belarus is fully aware of the importance of this northern region of Russia that is rich in natural resources. “We need partners in our efforts to advance to the Arctic, to the Russian north. Thus, we would like to team up with Belarus as this country has a wealth of experience in this field,” the Russian governor said.

Igor Orlov believes that the success of cooperation depends much more on mutual understanding and sincere interest of parties rather than on external factors. “Belarus is a supercomfortable partner for us. We have much in common. Most importantly, we speak the same language. We even think virtually the same way,” the Russian governor said.

The areas of mutual interest were set out and formalized in the document that was signed during the visit. For example, Arkhangelsk Oblast would like to invite Belarusian construction workers to build new homes in the region's big cities in order to relocate locals from dilapidated housing to new homes. “We have 450,000 square meters of dilapidated housing. This is a tremendous challenge. We would like to get good offers, including from our Belarusian partners. We believe we could build at least three Belarusian neighborhoods in three big cities that are running large-scale relocation programs. These are Arkhangelsk, Severodvinsk and Kotlas,” Igor Orlov said.

As far as transport and mechanical engineering are concerned, the parties have already established good groundwork in these fields, but they need to consider new financial instruments to implement related projects. Leasing is a good option, however leasing schemes should be streamlined taking into consideration external factors. “We want to purchase at least another 50 buses, more than 30 special-purpose vehicles – tractors, trucks, BelAZ dump trucks (the most powerful of them will be 130t trucks) and other types of machinery that we need,” the governor noted.

Top on the agenda was establishment and expansion of a commodity distribution network for Belarusian products in Arkhangelsk Oblast. This can be a trading house, an office or another institution that will be the linchpin of efforts to boost trade. “If our retail outlets had what you have in your stores, I would buy it. I am confident that all residents of Arkhangelsk Oblast would be happy to buy high-quality and familiar products of Belarusian companies, first of all, foodstuffs, however the cooperation spectrum could be broader. By the way, we also buy Belarusian bathroom accessories for our homes. Belarusian furniture and textiles are also available in our region,” Igor Orlov said.

By the way, the trade between Belarus and the Russian region neared $46 million in 2019. According to Igor Orlov, there are no specific plans to increase trade, it is more important to meet the needs of buyers and sellers, to expand the product portfolio and establish direct supply chains.

More than 500 Belarusian teachers have been trained under the educational project “Green Schools”, BelTA learned from the UNDP.

There have been 28 three-day training courses, four in every region and in Minsk. They lasted from November 2019 until February 2020. The participants shared experiences, updated and deepened knowledge in the field of energy and water supply, waste management, air quality, and learned how to apply the possibilities of the Aarhus Convention in their work. Specialists in various environmental fields were invited to cover certain topics.

The project gave teachers the incentive to continue to implement “Green Schools” project and to exchange knowledge and experience with colleagues and students. This will help expand the network of educational institutions in Belarus that are implementing the project, and will speed up the acquisition of "green" status for schools.

The training courses are a part of the project "Civic engagement in environmental monitoring and improving environmental management at the local level” that is financed by the EU and is implemented by the UNDP in Belarus in partnership with the Belarusian Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry and the Belarusian Education Ministry.

“Green Schools” is an environmental movement that is developing all over the world. The students of these schools in Belarus get their friends and parents involved into their field of interest, share the knowledge on waste sorting, water and energy saving. An educational institution can receive a ‘green' status only after completing a set of assignments designed to address environmental issues and issues facing the country.

A delegation of the Serbian Armed Forces headed by Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin is on an official visit to Belarus on 19-21 February, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Defense Ministry.

“Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin held talks with the head of the Serbian Defense Ministry. The parties exchanged views on current international security issues, and reviewed the current state of bilateral military cooperation and prospects for its development,” the ministry said.

The Serbian delegation is set to meet with the state secretary of the Security Council of Belarus and the leadership of the State Authority for Military Industry and to take part in the ceremonial events dedicated to the Fatherland Defenders and Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Belarus.

Participants in the next meeting of the Expert Community project “Coronavirus: Economy of Fear” in BelTA's press center projected the changes in the global market due to the COVID-19 situation.

According to Aleksei Avdonin, an analyst at the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies (BISI), the United States, European countries can use the situation with coronavirus to explain their desire to reduce the presence of Chinese companies on the national markets. At the same time there is competition for Africa. “We can say that the fight for the African continent has begun. Many companies, both European and American, are redeploying their manufacturing facilities from China to Africa. This has been going on for the last five to seven years,” the analyst recalled.

China itself has been active in the African market for a long time. Africa appreciates the contribution of Chinese companies to their economy and are unlikely to refuse further cooperation, said Yulia Abukhovich, a senior lecturer of the International Relations Department at the Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of Belarus President. “They invest real money, make investments, build social infrastructure, hospitals, etc.,” the expert said. She did not rule out that in the wake of the events with COVID-19 there will be some redistribution of markets. However, she refused to make more specific predictions, calling it a futile undertaking.

The dean of the International Relations Department at Belarusian State University, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Viktor Shadursky urged not to exaggerate the influence of the United States and its allies on the global market. “The world is much bigger than the United States. We need to understand that many countries are waiting for Chinese investment, the Chinese presence," he said, naming Belarus among them. It is hard to imagine that the country, hosting the industrial park Great Stone, will be interested in reducing China's presence on its market, Viktor Shadursky added.

The Finnish capital city is recognized by many global rating agencies and experts as a city of happy people and comfortable life. Cosiness and convenience of this place coupled with a truly Scandinavian ability to enjoy life create a special atmosphere here. The Helsinki house in thebMinsk Worldbcomplex will also be especially friendly to its future residents because its apartments will be sold, for the first time, fully-finished and plumbed! Sales started on Monday, 17 January!

The best conditions, as always, are at the very start of the sales!bSpecial attention to the Helsinki house is due to a number of important reasons.bFirst of all, this is the first house of the complex where apartments can be purchased fully finished, ready to live.The new owner will only have to arrange the furniture and he/she is welcome home!

A fully-finished apartment is an ideal solution for people who have no time to wait until long remodeling is finished. Apartment will have all partitions and communications. Materials from caps to wallpaper and paints are from leading manufacturers only. Plumbing, faucets, sockets, lamps, metal front door - all high-quality, stylish, harmonious. The ceilings are 2.7 meters high, with overhead and built-in LED lights.

Designers offer two décor styles - classic warm and laconic light.bScandinavian, American, European style - a buyer will be able to realize any of their dreams!

The main thing is a unique opportunity to move into your own apartment as soon as the house is commissioned!

What are the Finns more about: restraint and slowness or their national quality "sisu" – a stoic determination to achieve the goal? They are both "hot Finnish guys", the best hockey players and racing drivers and also crazy fans of heavy rock. They treat family values as an absolute priority and they are ablebto make the life of their loved ones enjoyable and comfortable. ThebMinsk Worldbcomplex shares the same philosophy.

The amazing Helsinki house has 25 storeys. The apartment size in this house varies from 30 to 74m2. The house boasts all the benefits of advanced architectural solutions of thebMinsk Worldbcomplex.

The first thing residents and their guests will see as they will enter the house will be abspacious and light lobbybwith a front desk and a courier waiting area, a restroom with a baby changing station and a storage facility for bikes. The floor and the entrance group will be decorated with high-quality ceramic granite. Granite will also be used in elevators. Light-colored walls and the ‘Finnish' design will make the lobby look fresh and bright.

The lobby will havebentryways on both sides. Taking a child for a walk you can use the entryway that leads right into a quiet green yard. If you go to work, you can use the entryway from the opposite side. You don't have to go around the house!

The house will have a lot of air and sun!bThe panoramic glazing with children's security locks, glazed loggias and balconies – from outside it looks like the entire facade is made of glass! The apartments have a breathtaking view of the entire city!

You can reach any floor within seconds by one ofbthree quiet and high-speed elevators from the world's leading producer OTIS. One of the elevators will be panoramic. Like in the world's best hotels it will slide along the wall of the building. The view from such an elevator will take your breath away!

The Helsinki house is thebfirst residential building of the new quarter that was named Northern Europe. This is the ninth quarter of the complex where apartments are available.bEach courtyard will have children's playgrounds and workout areas, bike racks, and recreation zones. The entire quarter will have a designer landscape.

The Northern Europe quarter will have a largebkindergarten for 230 children. Parents will not have to set their alarm clocks early because of a fear of being late. Taking a child to the kindergarten will just take a few minutes.

The quarter will be a car-free space.bCar owners will be able to take advantage of outdoor parking lots along the perimeter of the quarter and also indoor car parks.bBy the way,bthe first car park for up to 800 cars on nine levels opened in the Minsk World complex half a year agob.

The Helsinki house in the Northern Europe quarter features all the advantages of a super-modern and well-designed complex which is being built in the heart of Minsk. It is not a coincidence that thebMinsk World received the EuropaProperty award as the largest multifunctional complex in Europe.

Everything here is within a walking distance. The territory of the complex will havebpolyclinics for children and adults as well as a medical center, shops and gyms, cafes and restaurants.

A new parkbwill be laid out in the central part of the complex, the same as the Central Park in New York! It will be true “green lungs” of the whole complex. The park will feature quiet alleys, fountains with sculptures, sports and children's playgrounds. It will be the most beautiful area for calm and active recreation!

All the quarters in the complex will be connected by bicycle tracksb– an excellent place for slow rides and speedy chases. Your child can join the culture of cycling and choose the most environmentally friendly mode of transport literally from the first years of life!

Speaking about transport, it is worth mentioning the excellent transport infrastructure of the complex.bA third metro line will go through the complex and two new metro stationsbwill be located nearby. Numerous above-ground transport stops within the walking distance will link the complex with all parts of the city.

The new large shopping and entertainment center Mara Mallbwill become a favorite place to shop and relax for many residents of the capital.

The international financial center Minsk Worldbwill be the business heart of the complex. Minsk World is designed to attract investments from all over the globe and foster the creation of thousands of jobs in Belarus. It is quite possible that in the future many residents of thebMinsk Worldbcomplex will be able to go to their prestigious jobs on foot.

One can review swift progress in the construction of the complexbby watching videos on the real estate developer's website.

An apartment in the new Helsinki house is not a fairy tale or a dream that will never come true. What makes this house so attractive is that apartments here are affordable to many Belarusian families with a steady income, including fully-finished apartments.bAfter all, even fully-finished apartments can be purchased using a unique 10-year installment plan.

A long-term installment plan from the real estate developer is an unbelievably advantageous financial tool!bNo interest rates, no excess payments, no attempts to inflate the price per square meter. You will need neither income verifications nor guarantors to sign the contract. You only need your passport! True, you need to make a down payment but the company treats every customer on a case-by-case basis. Even the lack of sufficient cash to make the down payment will not be a problem. For instance, you can borrow up to Br40,000 from a partner bank without income verifications and guarantors in the developer's sales office. Managers of the sales office will help you find the most suitable installment plan for everyone.

Our partner banks also offer attractive lending programsb– the loan can cover up to 90% of the apartment's cost and can be repaid over the period of up to 20 years. The interest rate on a Belarusbank loan will be 4.99% per annum in the first year and 10% in the second year and the third one. The interest rate on a BPS-Sberbank loan will be 6.99% per annum in the first two years.

A reminder,bthe Minsk World complex is running a grandiose festive promo in honor of Valentine's Day till the end of February. When buying an apartment in thebBeijingbandbSydney Luxbhouses of thebChampionsbquarter,bNew YorkbandbSan Franciscobof thebNorth Americabquarter,bHong KongbandbTokyobhouses in thebAsiabquarter and thebAlexandriabhouse in thebAfricabquarter, you will be offered discounts per square meter if making a purchase using an installment plan.bDuring the promo the down payment has been reduced. You can pay 20% and sign a installment sale agreement

Substantial discounts are availablebto those who are ready to pay for their apartment in one go – with one's own cash or by taking out a bank loan.

Our partner banks also offer attractive lending programsb– the loan can cover up to 90% of the apartment's cost and can be repaid over the period of up to 20 years. The interest rate on a Belarusbank loan will be 4.99% per annum in the first year and 10% in the second year and the third one. The interest rate on a BPS-Sberbank loan will be 6.99% per annum in the first two years.

Use the Finnish determination to accomplish one's goalsbin order to buy an apartment in the Helsinki house at the start of the sales! If you want to move into a new apartment sooner, feel free to buy an apartment with finishing work!

All the details regarding the terms of buying an apartment in the Helsinki house at the start of the sales are available on the websitebbir.byband from the company's sales office. The sales office is open from 8:30 till 20:30 on weekdays and from 9:00 till 20:00 on weekends and holidays at 9 Mstislavtsa Street (1st floor, Dana Center), Vostok metro station, Minsk. The mobile hotline number is 7675, fixed-line numbers are +375 17 269−32−90, +375 17 39−39−465.

May your new apartment be ready to welcome your family right away!

Belarus and Egypt are planning to sign an intergovernmental executive program in higher and postgraduate education, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Egypt Sergei Terentiev said in an interview with BelTA.

The ambassador spoke about the Belarus-Egypt relations in education. Thus, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology of Egypt signed a cooperation agreement to implement five joint research projects in crop farming, nanomaterials, molecular genetics and metallurgical science.

Belarus also invited Egypt to implement projects in e-government, digital transformation, computer games and training of IT personnel. Last year Belarus issued, for the first time, educational grants to citizens of Egypt for the bachelor and master's degree programs in Belarus.

The diplomat noted that some Belarusian universities signed agreements on cooperation with Egyptian colleagues. Belarusian National Technical University (BNTU) and Tabbin Institute for Metallurgical Studies are working to set up a joint engineering department.

Currently the parties are working to arrange a visit of the minister of higher education and scientific research of Egypt to Belarus in 2020.

 Minsk has made it to the top 3 most romantic cities in Europe popular for holidays of couples and weekend trips among Russian tourists, BelTA learned from the analytics agency TurStat.

Switzerland's embassy was officially opened in the presence of Belarus Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis in Minsk on 13 February, BelTA has learned.

The embassy is located in 11, Svobody Square. It replaced the office of Switzerland's embassy opened in February 2008.

The foreign ministers of Belarus and Switzerland unveiled the plates at the entrance to the embassy to give a symbolic start to the operation of the diplomatic representation in a new status.

“The transformation of the embassy's office into a full-fledged embassy is not just a technicality. This step is of big symbolic meaning. The decision demonstrates Switzerland's interest in the development of relations with Belarus and hope that Belarus will continue the path of democratization and observance of human rights. Although, we understand that this road is not easy and rather long,” Ignazio Cassis said.

In his words, opening an embassy does not require much administrative action. It requires, first of all, the strong will of the two countries. After having increased the level of its representation in Belarus, Switzerland sets forth three objectives, which are to develop diplomatic relations, to promote human rights and to expand economic interaction. “We believe that Belarus' movement in the area of human rights is the right one. This, like any democratic process, requires time and effort. Switzerland, for its part, is ready to provide all the necessary support,” said the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

The two countries are also similar in their gradual development, he added. “Both you and we make changes in different sectors, but they are slow, gradual. The meaning of our life is a continuous movement. Opening an embassy is an important movement forward. From now on, the bilateral relations will become more active,” Ignazio Cassis said.

According to Swiss Ambassador to Belarus Claude Altermatt, his country has a large network of diplomatic missions across the globe, and the most recent, 103rd, was opened in Minsk. “Small countries such as Belarus and Switzerland need to focus on increasing the number of their representations abroad, because it is the only way to make their voices heard and their interests be taken into account,” he said.

Belarus Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei stressed that Belarusians have always admired the achievements of Switzerland. “Today a new page has been opened in the history of our relations. We are sincerely interested in the development of comprehensive contacts and cooperation. We see a number of promising areas for that, including agriculture, industry and high technologies. I am confident that the new embassy will contribute to further strengthening of our comprehensive cooperation,” he said. The minister wished the embassy new ideas that will promote the growth of mutual trade, strengthen interaction between the two countries in the international arena.