BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/02/2007

Czech Foreign Ministry to support projects in Cuba, Belarus

by Prague Daily Monitor/CTK /

Prague, Feb 15 (CTK) - The Czech Foreign Ministry has selected 17 projects aimed at the support of human rights and civil society in Belarus, Cuba, Iraq, Georgia, Myanmar, Serbia and Moldova, the ministry told CTK today.

According to previous information, the Foreign Ministry this year allotted 20 million crowns for these projects that are designed to support democracy.

The concrete sums that will go to finance individual projects and that will range from hundreds of thousands to millions of crowns will still be a subject for discussion, the ministry said.

It is certain that the Institute of Documentary Film will receive a ministry grant for the project named Documentary Cuba as well as the non-profit People in Need society that prepared projects aimed at Cuba and also Moldova and Myanmar.

The international association Civil Belarus that support non-governmental organisations will receive money to finance independent radio broadcasts for Belarus and consulting services and the Archdiocese Charity Prague will receive financial aid for the training of Belarussian students.

The Czech Republic is known for its critical position towards the official Belarussian leadership led by autocrat President Alexander Lukashenko. Prague is also critical towards the Cuban regime of Fidel Castro.

Brno's Masaryk University will receive a grant to finance the studies of Iraqi conservationists. Iraq is one of the priorities of the Czech foreign policy and the grant is part of the aid for the restoration of historic heritage.

In all, 53 projects sought the Foreign Ministry financial support, of which 17 succeeded and another six should be re-worked and then they will have a chance to receive money from the ministry.

($1=21.605 crowns)

Source:

http://www.praguemonitor.com/en/25/czech_politics/1381/