Kopyl regional executive committee

 Minsk has made it to the top 3 most romantic cities in Europe popular for holidays of couples and weekend trips among Russian tourists, BelTA learned from the analytics agency TurStat.

In addition to Minsk, the top ten includes St. Petersburg, Paris, Kaliningrad, Prague, Yekaterinburg, Amsterdam, Baku, Yerevan, and Tallinn.

“The Russians cast 23% of the votes for St. Petersburg and Paris as the most romantic cities in Europe. Kaliningrad and Minsk gained 8% of the vote, Prague - 7%, Yekaterinburg, Amsterdam, Baku and Yerevan - 5% and Tallinn - 3% of the vote,” the agency said.

The ranking is based on an online survey conducted in February 2020.

Switzerland's embassy was officially opened in the presence of Belarus Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis in Minsk on 13 February, BelTA has learned.

The embassy is located in 11, Svobody Square. It replaced the office of Switzerland's embassy opened in February 2008.

The foreign ministers of Belarus and Switzerland unveiled the plates at the entrance to the embassy to give a symbolic start to the operation of the diplomatic representation in a new status.

“The transformation of the embassy's office into a full-fledged embassy is not just a technicality. This step is of big symbolic meaning. The decision demonstrates Switzerland's interest in the development of relations with Belarus and hope that Belarus will continue the path of democratization and observance of human rights. Although, we understand that this road is not easy and rather long,” Ignazio Cassis said.

In his words, opening an embassy does not require much administrative action. It requires, first of all, the strong will of the two countries. After having increased the level of its representation in Belarus, Switzerland sets forth three objectives, which are to develop diplomatic relations, to promote human rights and to expand economic interaction. “We believe that Belarus' movement in the area of human rights is the right one. This, like any democratic process, requires time and effort. Switzerland, for its part, is ready to provide all the necessary support,” said the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

The two countries are also similar in their gradual development, he added. “Both you and we make changes in different sectors, but they are slow, gradual. The meaning of our life is a continuous movement. Opening an embassy is an important movement forward. From now on, the bilateral relations will become more active,” Ignazio Cassis said.

According to Swiss Ambassador to Belarus Claude Altermatt, his country has a large network of diplomatic missions across the globe, and the most recent, 103rd, was opened in Minsk. “Small countries such as Belarus and Switzerland need to focus on increasing the number of their representations abroad, because it is the only way to make their voices heard and their interests be taken into account,” he said.

Belarus Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei stressed that Belarusians have always admired the achievements of Switzerland. “Today a new page has been opened in the history of our relations. We are sincerely interested in the development of comprehensive contacts and cooperation. We see a number of promising areas for that, including agriculture, industry and high technologies. I am confident that the new embassy will contribute to further strengthening of our comprehensive cooperation,” he said. The minister wished the embassy new ideas that will promote the growth of mutual trade, strengthen interaction between the two countries in the international arena.

Belarus' best pastry chefs will take part in the IKA/Culinary Olympics which will be held in Stuttgart, Germany from 15 to 19 February, the press service of the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry told BelTA.

"The Belarusian team includes many-time winners of national and international professional contests. Belarusian pastry chefs will present complex art compositions made of chocolate, mastic, marzipan, pastilage and salt dough using various manufacturing techniques," the press service said.

IKA/Culinary Olympics is organized by the World Association of Chefs' Societies (WACS) and is held every four years. It is a kind of Olympic Games in the culinary and confectionery industry. In 2016, the competion featured 59 national teams and more than 2,000 pastry chefs and chefs in individual competitions. The team of Belarusian pastry chefs won 5 gold, 11 silver and one bronze medal.

The Unitehprom BSU company of Belarusian State University (BSU) will be the world's only producer of an original cancer drug Temodex. The registration certificate for the drug has been issued by the Healthcare Ministry of Belarus, BelTA learned from the press service of the university.

Representatives of the Armed Forces of Belarus and Lithuania are set to meet in Vilnius on 11-12 February to discuss the status of implementation of the agreement on additional confidence and security building measures, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Defense Ministry.

“The parties will take stock of the agreement signed in 2019, consider proposals aimed at improving the effectiveness of additional confidence and security building measures, and discuss bilateral cooperation in arms control in 2020,” the ministry said.

As of 7 February, more than 500 people have been tested for coronavirus upon returning from China. All the tests have come back negative, BelTA learned from the press service of the Healthcare Ministry of Belarus.

A special promo was launched in the Minsk World complex on February 6 in the run-up to Valentine's Day - apartments in certain houses will be offered with discounts if purchased using an installment plan. Thanks to special prices, those who buy an apartment during the promo will save a lot of money!

Michael Pompeo's visit to Belarus made headlines last week. It was the first visit of a U.S. secretary of state in more than 20 years. Prior to this visit Minsk had welcomed a number of other high-ranking officials from the United States. Their visits were broadly covered by mass media and discussed by the public. However, there are also some low-key visits that are just as important as visits by politicians and officials.

Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Dapkiunas met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Belarus Cui Qiming in Minsk on 3 February, the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told BelTA.

I am inspired by what I saw at Belarus' Hi-Tech Park, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo wrote on his Twitter account, BelTA has learned.