The Belarusian society is pragmatic in its geopolitical choice; thereby, any policy based exclusively on public preferences will be unstable and subject to momentary fluctuations. This is the main conclusion of the study “Belarus and the World: Geopolitical Choice and Security in the Context of the Economy and Culture” undertaken by the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies (BISS) and Axiometrics Laboratory NOVAK.

"Breaking into top 30 in the World Bank ranking will not be the result of system reforms and will not seriously increase the investment attractiveness of Belarus", - this the main conclusion of the BISS analytical report about the possibility of increasing the rating of Belarus in the World Bank Doing Business Report, which was presented to the public April 20, 2010 in Minsk hotel «Crowne Plaza».

We present the address “EU-Belarus relations and prospects for the future” by the  Head of the Unit for Relations with Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Southern Caucasus at the Directorate General for External Affairs of the European Commission John Kjaer at the Conference "Belarus's path in Europe".

The first issue of its English-language newsletter summarizes the Institute’s activities and research in the last quarter of 2009. You may find our take on some of the defining events of period, including conclusion of the Customs Union, Belarus’s return to the participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and the visit of Italian Prime Minister Sylvio Berlusconi to Minsk.

Download the Newsletter here.