Russia Is to Allocate a Billion Dollars to the Belarusian Authorities

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Russia will allocate a billion dollars to the Belarusian authorities. The corresponding order was signed on Monday by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. It is planned that the loan will be transferred in two tranches: $ 500 million this year, and another $ 500 million next year. Loan arrears will be recorded in Russian rubles. In October, a loan of half a billion dollars was provided to Belarus by the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development - at the expense of these funds, the country's authorities were going to pay off the accumulated debt to Gazprom for gas supplies. Earlier, a number of experts noted a sharp deterioration in the economic situation in Belarus, caused, in particular, by massive protests against Alexander Lukashenko and the nationwide strike that opposition started, and which involved several large Belarusian enterprises. The country's authorities acknowledged "some unrest at the enterprises," but noted that they "did not cause any economic damage." At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko threatened the strike participants with dismissals and criminal cases. On Monday, on behalf of Lukashenko, the Belarusian Interior Ministry created a unified electronic database of protesters. It will contain information about the age, place of residence, work or study, as well as the hobbies of each protester who came to the attention of law enforcement agencies. The creators of the database promise a "tailor-made" response. In addition, on Monday, the General Prosecutor's Office of Belarus opened criminal cases against ex-presidential candidate and one of the opposition leaders Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, as well as against members of the opposition coordination council, including Maria Kolesnikova. They are accused of creating an extremist community and conspiring to seize state power in an unconstitutional way. Daily protests began in Belarus after the August 9 presidential elections, which won Alexander Lukashenko for a sixth consecutive term. The protesters demand Lukashenka's resignation and re-elections, accusing the authorities of unprecedented fraud and cruelty towards the participants of the rallies. At least five people died in the crackdown. According to human rights activists, by now about 30 thousand Belarusians have gone through repression. The EU countries and the USA do not recognize the legitimacy of the elections held in Belarus. The European Parliament voted in favor of a resolution condemning the harsh suppression of peaceful protests, and in particular the murder of demonstrator Roman Bondarenko. Sanctions have been introduced against a number of Belarusian officials. Russia recognized the Belarusian elections and promised to provide Lukashenko with assistance, including force, in case of an escalation of the conflict.