There are also a number of other political parties: the Belarusian Ecological Party of the Greens, the Republican Party of Labor and Justice, the Belarusian Party of Labor, the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Gromada), the Belarusian
Patriotic Party, etc. Check computerminus for political system of Belarus.
The leading organizations of business circles include, first of all, the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BelCCI). By the beginning of 2002, 1560 economic entities of Belarus were members of the chamber. The main goal of the BelCCI is to promote the promotion of Belarusian goods to foreign and domestic markets. There are also several unions, confederations and associations of industrialists and entrepreneurs.
At the beginning of 2002, 39 republican trade unions and more than 1,500 public associations were registered in the country. The main trade union association is the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, loyal to the current leadership of Belarus and striving to achieve social peace and partnership. In the process of the formation of statehood and the formation of new mechanisms of power, new trade unions arose: the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BNP), the Free Trade Union (SPB), the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP). There are so-called. free branch trade unions of metalworkers, teachers, transport workers, etc.
Of the public associations and movements operating in Belarus, the most notable are the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM), the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, the Belarusian public movement “Yabloko”, the Slavic Cathedral “Belaya Rus” and others. themselves as unregistered extremist and paramilitary organizations with extreme views.
The internal political situation in Belarus in recent years has been generally stable. Most of the population supports President A. Lukashenko, which was clearly manifested in the presidential elections on September 9, 2001, in which he won a landslide victory. The leadership of the republic, with the help of the administrative vertical created by Lukashenka, completely controls the situation in the country. The president, who has broad powers, decides the most important issues of state policy.
Opposition forces, oriented mainly towards Western countries and pro-Western forces in the Russian Federation, are organizationally fragmented and politically weak; repeated attempts to consolidate them have not yet been successful. There is not a single major figure in the ranks of the opposition approaching Lukashenka in popularity. However, the recent deterioration in the socio-economic situation may in the coming years lead to a weakening of the president’s political positions and an increase in the influence of the opposition.
Belarus is pursuing an active peace-loving foreign policy aimed at developing friendly relations with all countries. The most important direction of the republic’s foreign policy is the development of comprehensive cooperation with the Russian Federation, with which a number of integration agreements have been signed in recent years.
Belarus is an active member of the CIS, the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). In September 2003, Belarus signed an agreement on joining the single economic space within the borders of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
The republic’s relations with the leading Western countries (primarily the United States) have been disrupted in recent years due to the negative attitude of these countries towards the Belarusian leadership and its course towards integration with the Russian Federation. Belarus is making efforts to normalize relations with the West.
Belarus maintains friendly relations with China, India, a number of countries in Southeast Asia and the Arab East.
The Armed Forces of Belarus consist of the Ground Forces, the Air Force, the Air Defense Forces and Special Forces. The number of the Armed Forces is about 65 thousand people. It is armed with 1,800 tanks, 10,000 artillery pieces, 120 combat aircraft, and 80 combat helicopters. According to some estimates, the Belarusian army is among the ten most combat-ready armies in Europe.
Belarus has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation established on June 25, 1992; On February 21, 1995, the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation between Belarus and the Russian Federation was signed. On April 2, 1996, the Treaty on the Formation of the Community of Russia and Belarus was signed, and on April 2, 1997, the Treaty on the Union of Belarus and Russia. On December 8, 1999, the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State was concluded and on January 26, 2000 came into force, aimed at deepening the integration processes between Belarus and Russia in all spheres of public life and the formation of a full-fledged Union State of the two countries in the coming years.