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This law handbook contains information on basic business legislation, laws and regulatoins affecting export-import, business, foreign investments, property rights, taxation and banking. ... Read more

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Belarus is one of the least-studied European states to emerge from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Nevertheless, Belarus constitutes an important and sensitive border region between Russia and the western part of the continent. In Postcommunist Belarus, a stellar group of contributors offers an important, coherent, and comparative perspective on this little-known country. ... Read more

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The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 ushered in a period of democratization and market reform extending across the East-Central European region, with one important exception: Belarus. Ironically, Belarus's fledgling attempts at democracy produced a leader who has suspended the post-Soviet constitution and its institutions and created a personal dictatorship. Located in the center of the European continent, Belarus lies at the crossroads of an expanded NATO and the Russian "near abroad." This fact underlines the importance of Belarus to European security and to East-West relations.

To discuss developments in Belarus, an international group of scholars and policymakers gathered at Harvard University in 1999. The broad spectrum of issues covered is examined in this volume, providing an understanding of Belarus today and its prospects for the future.

In addition to the editors, contributors include Timothy Colton, David Marples, Uladzimir Padhol, Rainer Lindner, Patricia Brukoff, Leonid Zlotnikov, Arkadii Moshes, Andrei Sannikov, Yuri Drakokhrust, Dmitri Furman, John Reppert, Astrid Sahm, Kirsten Westphal, Hrihoriy Perepelytsia, Algirdas Gricius, AgnieszkaMagzdiak-Miszewska, Hans-Georg Wieck, Sherman Garnett, Elaine Conkievich, and Caryn Wilde. ... Read more

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This book provides a thorough overview of current developments in Belarus. It looks at historical, political, economic and social changes, and at international relations, especially relations with Russian and the European Union. ... Read more

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Excellent Contribution!!!!!
This book fills an obvious gap in contemporary east-European political literature. Unlike other books on Belarus, the strong point this book has is that is written primarily by young Belarusian scholars who have studied both within Belarus and in the west and thus gives a far more even account of the true nature of this interesting nation.

This book is required reading for any serious scholar of east European politics, economics, culture or society. ... Read more

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In this fascinating study of unfinished nation-building in Belarus, Grigory Ioffe draws on his two dozen research trips to the country to trace Belarus's history, geography, political situation, society, and economy. The ambivalent relationship between Russia and Belarus results in an identity crisis that is not understood by the West, which leads to Western policies toward Belarus that are based on a fallacy of geopolitical thinking. This book will lead readers to a deeper understanding of Belarus, its relationship with Russia, and its still-forming national identity. ... Read more

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Chapters: President of Belarus, Council of the Republic of Belarus, List of Belarusian Prime Ministers, House of Representatives of Belarus, National Assembly of Belarus, Aviation Department of Belarus, Constitutional Court of Belarus, Bellesrad, All Belarusian People's Assembly, Supreme Court of Belarus. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 38. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The office of President of Belarus (Belarusian: , Russian: ) is the head of state of Belarus. The office was created in 1994 with the passing of the Constitution of Belarus by the Supreme Soviet. This replaced the office of Chairman of the Supreme Soviet as the head of state. The tasks of the president including executing foreign and domestic policy, defend the rights and general welfare of citizens and residents and to uphold the Constitution. The president is mandated by the Constitution to serve as a leader in the social affairs of the country and to act as its main representative abroad. The duties, responsibilities and other transitional clauses dealing with the presidency are listed in Chapter Three, Articles 79 through 89, of the Constitution. The term for the president is five years, but due to a 1996 referendum, the election that was supposed to occur in 1999 was pushed back to 2001. Under the 1994 constitution, the president could only serve for two terms as president, but due to a change in the constitution, term limits were eliminated. During the course of the office, three elections were held in 1994, 2001 and 2006. The next election is set to occur in 2011. Alexander Lukashenko has been the only person who has served as president since the elections in 1994. The Republic of Belarus was formed in 1991 shortly after declaring itself independent of the Soviet Union. Under the government of the Byelor...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=2631957 ... Read more

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Ultimate handbook on government and business contacts in the country. Government agencies, strategic, business contacts, international representations and more... ... Read more

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Features the Exchange of Notes entered into force on 22 May 2009. ... Read more

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Belarus, although frequently overlooked in the West, is a country critical to the development of the post-Soviet states and to Europe as a whole. Its location alone—bordering Russia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine—points to its importance as a major geopolitical player. On top of that, the ambitions of its president mean that Belarus will likely have a say in the future of Russia, Ukraine, and other neighboring states. To address what, to date, has been short-sighted and potentially dangerous neglect of this country, the editors of this book bring together essays by specialists from Belarus, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, and the United States to focus on Belarus’s place in the evolving European security environment. No other publication has taken such a diverse approach to this little-understood country. ... Read more

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WHAT IS THE UNITED STATES' AND THE WEST'S REAL PROBLEM WITH BELARUS?
The United States vilification of President Alexander Lukashenko and Belarus has nothing to do with "democracy" and "human rights."Lukashenko's refusal to surrender Belarus to U.S./E.U. capitalist domination via privatization and criticism of U.S. policies have infuriated Washington.Even more irksome to the White House, IMF, and World Bank is that Lukashenko's economic model is actually working!!!

For accurate and objective information on President Lukashenko and pre and post Soviet Belarus I highly recommend Stewart Parker's new book, "The Last Soviet Republic - Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus."The reader will receive a huge amount of well researched, objective material that contradicts and debunks the stereotypical drivel and propaganda written by Washington's hacks. ... Read more

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Chapters: Foreign Ministers of Belarus, Prime Ministers of Belarus, Sergei Sidorsky, Mikhail Khvostov, Vyachaslau Kebich, Henadz Navitski, Sergei Martynov, Vladimir Yermoshin. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 19. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Sergei Sergeevich Sidorsky (Belarusian: , IPA: , Siarhiei Sidorski Russian: ) (born March 13, 1954 in Homiel, BSSR, Soviet Union) is the Prime Minister of Belarus. He was appointed Acting Prime Minister on July 10, 2003 to replace the dismissed Gennady Novitsky, and was confirmed as permanent Prime Minister on December 19, 2003. Sergei Sergeevich Sidorsky was born on 13 March 1954 in Homiel. In 1976 he graduated from the Belarusian Institute of Railway Engineers (Faculty of Electrical Engineering). He began his working life as an electrical fitter, electrician. 1976 - 1991 foreman of assembly shop, head of laboratory, head of department, deputy director, Homiel Radio Equipment Plant 1991 - 1992 director, Homiel Radio Equipment Plant 1992 - 1998 general manager, Research and Production Association RATON, Homiel 1998 - 2001 deputy chairman, first deputy chairman, Homiel Voblast Administration 2001 - 2002 Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus 2002 - 2003 First Deputy Prime Minister, Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus December 2003 - present time Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Sidorski has the title of Honoured Workman of the Industry of the Republic of Belarus. He is Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Academician at the International Engineering Academy. Sidorski is expert in vacuum-plasma technologies and author of more than 40 scientific publications and monographs. Sidorsky is married and has two daughters. He speaks German. ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=393766 ... Read more

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Making Russians is a valuable and insightful examination, based on a solid archival foundation, of the nationalities policies in tsarist Russia's northwestern borderlands of Lithuania and Belarus. Making Russians explores the various strategies of "Russification" that the imperial government pursued - largely unsuccessfully - in this region. The book is essential reading for all students of imperial Russia. It has applications for the present as well, when issues of national identity continue to engage the citizens of both Russia and the states of the Former Soviet Union. ... Read more

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Solid Review of Economic and Social Problems of Belarus
Author Marples has taken an exceptionally difficult topic, the emergence of the Republic of Belarus, and developed a highly informative report on the emergence of a very tortured nation. His assessment ofChernobyl-related problems, the country's and the world's response and theimplications for future generations of Belarusians was especially welldocumented and portrayed an assessment of the country that could only havebeen developed by an author who was especially familiar with the day-to-daygrass-roots response to the Chernobyl disaster. His book showed anespecially strong understanding of relief work in the Gomel oblast. Perhapsthe only weakness of this book was that it was written as AlexanderLukashenko was coming to power and, as such, provided a backdrop but not afull assessment of subsequent events. It would be very informative to viewthis author's assessment of the implications of Lukashenko's regieme onBelarus. ... Read more

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Looks at the process of state-building in Ukraine from a political economy and institutional perspective.Weak and distorted state capacity has come to be widely recognized as a key obstacle to successful transformation.However, so far little systematic research has been carried out on state capacity and on how to explain its development.The book provides new insights in considering the evolution of Ukraine since 1992, offering an in-depth view of institutional development in crucial areas.It draws comparisons with developments in Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia (based on field research).To capture the process of state-building empirically, focuses on the extraction and expenditure systems which are a central pillar of state capacity and also a central link between citizens and the state.The book also sheds light on how Ukraine's potential 'second transition' currently under way will have an impact on its institutional system. ... Read more

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Gives great insight but skip the first 4 chapters!
To start with the conclusion - for anyone that wants insight into the political and economical development i Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Belarus or the Former Soviet republics in general, this is a very interesting and useful book to read. Be aware that the book's main focus is on Ukraine (102 pages), While the other countries is given from 30-41 pages each. The comparable approach also makes it useful for getting an introduction to the difference between the former Baltic states and the other former Soviet republics and the similarities and differences in the 3 new Eastern Slavonic nations.

One important weekness of the book is that it spends 78 pages in the introduction to go through a theoretical framework that is hardly interesting, hardly necesary to to read the rest of the book and hardly gives any crucial insights. The poublisher has failed in their role as an editor by not interfering on this point. My advice to the reader is to simply skip theese first 4 chapters and begin on chapter 5. Othervise the risk is great that you will stop reading beofre the real interesting stuff begins.

If you want to be critical one can ask, why the book have picked theese 4 former Soviet republics instead of analysing all 15 of them. As the result of this chice of sample is quite successsful there is hardly any need for it though. I can even imagine that for instance adding the 3rd Baltic republic to the analysis of the 2 former, would give limited new insights to the *comparative* study that is the aim of the book and that the reader might would find himself repeating many of the same information 3 times. Another possible approach could be to compare Moldova and Romania or Poland with Western Belarus and Western Ukraine in order to analyze different trajectories of development of something that historically have been the same country (Romania and Poland respectively). The author have successfully chosen to do otherwise though.

The author has included a comprehensive statistical material in the appendix in the book. One thing that have kept me awake at night is that the performance for some of the Central Asian countries looks too good to be true. Can it really be the case that the economical growth of Uzbekistan since 1989 (115 i 2004, if 1989 is 100) is better than Estinia's (112) while Turkmenistan's growth compared to 1989 is of 112, the same as Estonia?

The inflation-problem colud probably be covered in more depth. The appendix should definately have included a table with inflation rates. Further, former Russian Prime minister Gaydar in a seminar at Carnegie once put the inflation in Russia in the 90s into perspective by comparing to the last time Europe saw inflation of this propotions - in Germany in the 30s, where Adolf Hitler came to power by democratic means with what would follow - also about 15 years since democracy was introduced. The economic situation in the 90s - and the inflation in particular - is crucial for interpreting the political situation and statebuilding in particulary Russia and Ukraine. In this context it also appears that thing have turned out quite ok, compared to the Germany scenario.

Theese comments explains why I have given 4 and not 5 stars.

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