BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT CALLS FOR REGISTERING ALL WORK-ABROAD AGENCIES

Speaking on 27 January at a conference in Minsk on stopping human trafficking, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka ordered that the government register all Belarusian-based agencies offering jobs abroad, Belapan reported. A presidential decree to that effect called "on certain measures to counteract trade in people" has already been drafted. In addition, Lukashenka said that all contracts signed with people seeking employment abroad should be reviewed to enable workers to return home at any time. According to Lukashenka, Belarus, because of its geographical location, has been exposed to crime, such as trafficking drugs as well as in women and children for sexual exploitation; however, he insisted that "trade in people has not acquired a mass scale in Belarus." During the discussion of human trafficking, President Lukashenka ordered that billboards in Belarus feature only Belarusian models, because this would help prevent women from accepting dubious jobs abroad, Belapan reported. He noted that he suggested the same thing last year to the Chamber of Representatives but instead of executing his directive they simply removed billboards from the streets. Last year, Lukashenka ordered the mayor of Minsk to remove French models "with grimy faces" on billboards along his route to work and employ Belarusian beauties to advertise domestic watches.