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Country Information:
https://www.cia.gov/
Background:
After seven decades as a constituent
republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its
independence in 1991. It has retained closer
political and economic ties to Russia than any
of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus
and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union
on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political
and economic integration. Although Belarus
agreed to a framework to carry out the accord,
serious implementation has yet to take place.
Since his election in July 1994 as the country's
first president, Alexandr LUKASHENKO has
steadily consolidated his power through
authoritarian means. Government restrictions on
freedom of speech and the press, peaceful
assembly, and religion continue. |
