The presidential election in Belarus has been scheduled for 26 January 2025. The relevant decision was taken at the session of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus on 23 October. “According to Article 81 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and Article 56 of the Electoral Code, the election of the President of the Republic of Belarus shall be appointed by the House of Representatives no later than five months and held on Sunday no later than two months before the expiration of the term of office of the previous president. In accordance with Article 83 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the president assumes office after taking the oath of office. As soon as the newly elected president takes the oath of office, the powers of the previous president are terminated. The inauguration of the incumbent head of state took place on 23 September 2020. Accordingly, the next presidential election should be held no later than 20 July 2025,” CEC Chairman Igor Karpenko said. The legislation does not set a specific day for the presidential election, such as the single voting day for the parliamentary elections, which is held on the last Sunday of February, the CEC head said. “The basic law does not prohibit holding elections earlier, it prohibits holding them later than the established deadline. According to the Central Election Commission, 26 January 2025 is the optimal date for the presidential election of the Republic of Belarus,” he stressed. Source: BelTA  

In the period from October 15 to October 18, 2024, Belhydromet is taking part in the International Specialized Exhibition "Energy. Ecology. Energy saving. Electro" (EnergyExpo) which is held within the framework of the XXVIII Belarusian Energy and Environmental Forum. The Belarusian Energy and Environmental Forum   has been held since 1995, attracting the attention of leading Belarusian and global manufacturers of energy-efficient equipment, technologies and materials for energy, petrochemicals, housing and communal services, the manufacturing sector and environmental protection in the Republic of Belarus and is the country's largest presentation platform on these topics. The International Specialized Exhibition EnergyExpo is held to demonstrate modern achievements of science, technology and technologies in the field of energy, ecology and energy conservation. The event will be attended by leading enterprises of the energy industry, manufacturers of equipment and materials for energy, electrical engineering and electronics, as well as companies engaged in the development and implementation of energy-efficient technologies. This significant event will bring together specialists and experts in the field of energy, ecology and energy saving technologies from more than 200 enterprises and organizations, providing a unique platform for sharing experiences and discussing topical issues. Within the framework of the exhibition Belhydromet will present the work of the Republican Information System for Automated Environmental Monitoring (RISAMOS). This system allows to collect, process and analyze data on the state of the environment in Belarus. Using the system one can get information about the quality of air, water, soil, radiation conditions and other environmental parameters. Thanks to modern technologies and innovative approaches Belhydromet strives to increase the effectiveness of monitoring and improve the quality of data available to citizens, government services and scientific institutions. The leading specialists of our organization will present the exposition of Belhydromet as well as answer the questions of visitors. The venue of the exhibition: Minsk, Pobediteley ave., 20/2 (Football arena). Opening hours: October 15-17, 2024 from 10-00 to 18-00, October 18, 2024 from 10-00 to 14-00. Participation in EnergyExpo-2024 will allow Belhydromet to demonstrate its achievements and prospects for the development of an environmental monitoring system, draw attention to environmental protection and rational use of natural resources, as well as contribute to the sustainable development of the energy and environmental sector. We invite everyone interested to visit our stand to get acquainted with the work of the Republican Information System for Automated Environmental Monitoring!  

In the period from September 25 to 26, 2024 in Kazan, Russian Federation, the management and specialists of Belhydromet are taking part in the 78th meeting of the joint board of the Union State Committee on Hydrometeorology and Environmental Pollution Monitoring (Soyuzkomhydromet). For reference: The Union State Committee on Hydrometeorology and Environmental Contamination Monitoring was established in 1996 to coordinate the activities of the national hydrometeorological services of Russia and Belarus. Meetings of the joint board are held regularly and are an important tool for sharing experiences and developing joint solutions in the field of hydrometeorology. The head of Belhydromet, Vladimir Babok, speaking with a welcoming speech to the participants of the meeting, noted: "For almost 30 years, Soyuzkomhydromet has been a guarantor in ensuring hydrometeorological safety within the borders of the Union State. Over the years of its existence, Soyuzkomhydromet has acquired its own traditions, proved its relevance, and today is a key platform for cooperation between Belarus and Russia on global trends and agendas in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields, increasing interaction and mutual development of the state hydrometeorological services of Belarus and Russia."  Within the framework of the 78th meeting of the joint board of the Soyuzkomhydromet representatives of the state hydrometeorological services of the Republic of Belarus and Russian Federation will consider a wide range of topical issues in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields, including the use of the Meteorological Warnings information system which provides the formation of a consolidated map of meteorological hazards (threats) for the territory of the Union State; the content of heavy metals in atmospheric air and environmental objects on the territory of the Republic of Belarus and Russian Federation; the state and prospects of modernization of observations at water evaporation sites in the territory of the Republic of Belarus and Russian Federation. The participants of the meeting will share their experiences and discuss plans for the future. Special attention will be paid to improving the quality of weather forecasts and warnings about adverse weather events. Following the meeting, decisions will be made that will determine the vector of further joint activities of Belhydromet and Roshydromet for the near and medium term.

Today, on September 17, the Republic of Belarus celebrates the youngest state holiday – National Unity Day. This year it will be celebrated for the fourth time – the corresponding decree on its establishment was signed by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on June 7, 2021. The state holiday is timed to coincide with the anniversary of the beginning of the reunification of Western and Eastern Belarus. Then the Red Army crossed the border with Poland and began a campaign called liberation. Its result was the annexation of Western Belarus to the BSSR. Before that, most of the territory of the modern republic was part of Poland, in 1921 Belarus was divided on the basis of the Treaty of Riga. Then almost 100 thousand square kilometers were transferred to Poland, where more than three million people lived. In 2022, Alexander Lukashenko, speaking at a solemn event on September 17, stressed that the establishment of the National Unity Day holiday is Belarus' response to the modern West's attempt to divide the country. As part of the National Unity Day, various patriotic and cultural events are held in the republic - marathons, concerts, rallies and exhibitions. The staff of Belhydromet congratulates all compatriots on National Unity Day! This holiday reminds us of the importance of unity, solidarity and mutual assistance in society. May this day become a symbol of peace and harmony  between all the people of our country. May our country be strong and independent, and its people united!  

June 22, 1941 is one of the saddest dates in the history of Belarus: the Great Patriotic War began on this day. On this day, we remember those who, at the cost of their lives, fulfilled their duty to protect the Motherland, all those who died, tortured in nazi captivity, died in the rear from hunger and deprivation. Why do we need history lessons? Most of us were born and raised in peacetime. We live, study, work, create families, raise children, strive and reach career heights, take care of our children and parents. It is only on mournful and heart-wrenching dates that we remember that it was not always possible to look so confidently into the future, to live a calm and peaceful life. One of these dates is the Day of National Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War and the Genocide of the Belarusian people, which is celebrated in Belarus on June 22. On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched a war against the Soviet Union. The Nazis captured Brest and completely surrounded the fortress, but its defenders offered stubborn resistance to the invaders. Separate groups of Soviet soldiers continued to fight in the fortress until the 20th of July 1941. During the war, more than 1.3 million Belarusians and natives of Belarus fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. During the Great Patriotic War, the fascists created more than 260 death camps and places of mass extermination on the territory of Belarus. This tragic list includes Trostenets, Khatyn, the Ozarich death zone, and the Red Coast. About 1.5 million people fell victims of genocide in the camps on the territory of our country alone. More than 9 thousand settlements have been destroyed on the territory of Belarus. In this war, Belarus lost every third inhabitant - the memory of them will live forever. The Great Patriotic War was a great disaster, but also a great lesson for our people and state. The victims who fell during the war and occupation are a great unhealed wound for each of us. Thanks to these sacrifices, we all remember how important it is to preserve peace despite any political and economic differences. This memory and the date dedicated to this day teach us to find compromises and appreciate everything that is dear to us and that we can lose by losing peace. The All-Belarusian minute of silence will be held on June 22 at 12 o'clock. On the Day of National Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War and the genocide of the Belarusian people, we will honor the memory of everyone who saved peace on our land at the cost of their lives. Belhydromet remembers those who fulfilled their duty to protect the Motherland at the cost of their lives. A  low bow to you!  

The activities of hydrometeorological services in any country always arouse genuine interest from the general public and government authorities. This necessitates the constant development and improvement of cooperation in the field of hydrometeorology. On May 22, in Grodno   the 77th meeting of the joint board of the Union State Committee on Hydrometeorology and Environmental Contamination Monitoring took place. The meeting brought together representatives of the Standing Committee of the Union State, the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, as well as government agencies and scientific circles of Belarus and Russia. The joint activity of Roshydromet and Belhydromet within the framework of the Union State is a reason for pride and a good example of the integration interaction of the state hydrometeorological services of the two countries. One of the "mechanisms" of cooperation between Belhydromet and Roshydromet aimed at development is the implementation of programs of the Union State in the relevant field, the results of which are of high practical importance for Belarus, primarily for weather-dependent sectors of the economy such as transport, agriculture, energy, housing and communal services, as well as for organizations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Defense. During the meeting, experts from the two countries considered topical issues of interaction between the state hydrometeorological services of Belarus and Russia, including issues of import substitution of measuring equipment used for radiation monitoring on the territory of the Union State; prospects for the development of the accounting system of observation units of the Union State; space monitoring to solve problems of hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring; prospects for the creation of orbital and ground-based observation facilities of the Union State for the heliogeophysical situation and a number of other issues. The meeting was held in the spirit of friendly and constructive dialogue.  

Victory Day is one of the most revered holidays in sovereign Belarus. Every Belarusian family remembers those who defended our homeland not only at the front, but also in the rear. These are people whose lives during the Great Patriotic War became an example of courage, perseverance, dedication and struggle for the prosperity of our Motherland, for the life of new generations. Thousands of Minsk residents and guests of the capital came on May 9 to recall the exploits of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers who liberated their native land from the Nazi invaders and to express their great gratitude for the heroic feat of arms they performed in the name of the happiness of other people. Representatives of the leadership and professional activity of Belhydromet as part of the delegation of the Pervomaisky district of Minsk also took part in the festive events on Victory Square. The morning of May 9 began with a national laying at the obelisk monument on Victory Square as part of the patriotic campaign "Belarus Remembers". As part of the column of participants, the delegation of Belhydromet, headed by First Deputy Head Svetlana Kuzmich, went to the Victory Monument and laid flowers in memory of the fallen soldiers. Also, as part of the delegation of the Pervomaisky district of the capital, representatives of Belhydromet took part in an official wreath-laying and flower-laying event with the participation of the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.  All those present at the event honored the memory of the fallen heroes with a minute of silence.  A striking and memorable chord of the celebration of the 79th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Minsk was the gala concert "At nine o'clock in the evening after the War" as part of the Victory Square TV project on Oktyabrskaya Square. And the celebration ended with a festive fireworks, colorful volleys of which were heard at 23:00 from 6 different points of the city. We remember the feat that our grandfathers and fathers accomplished, we remember the price we paid for Victory!

In 2009, the United Nations proclaimed April 22 as International Mother Earth Day . The proclamation of this holiday is a recognition that the Earth and its ecosystems are our home and provide life for humanity. Therefore, in order to achieve a fair balance between the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations, it is necessary to promote human harmony with nature and planet Earth. The main task of this holiday is to remind people of responsibility, of the global threats and challenges facing our common home, and most importantly, to call for urgent practical actions in the interests of preserving life on Earth. Every year this Day is dedicated to a specific topic. The topic of Earth Day 2024 is "Planet or Plastic". This motto calls on us to take decisive action to reduce plastic consumption and stop the most widespread pollution of our planet. Plastic is a material with unique properties, extremely convenient in many industries, from simple food packaging to the construction of spaceships. But its most important advantage is the low cost of production. In pursuit of profit, we produce more and more plastic, turning a blind eye to the harm that we cause to nature and our own health, but this cannot continue. Belarus is one of the European countries with the largest area of untouched wildlife. Changes in ecosystems, including those caused by the introduction of "plastic components" into it, entail a threat to living organisms. That is why everything possible is being done in Belarus to avoid these changes. In our country, thanks to the special attention of President Alexander Lukashenko, environmental protection and environmental safety are included in the list of priority national interests of the state. On the eve of the International Mother Earth Day and on this date various events are organized, large-scale "environmental protection actions" are held in the form of traditional spring clean-up days, when it is customary to restore order and plant trees. As in the whole world, cities and towns are being improved in our country, large-scale tree planting campaigns are being carried out, shrubs and flowers are being planted. Planting trees in public places has become a good tradition. This year, for the International Mother Earth Day, Belhydromet team also contributed to the greening of the country by taking part in the republican clean-up held throughout the country.  

On April 9, representatives of the youth trade union activists of Belhydromet as part of the delegation of activists of the Pervomaisky district of Minsk took part in the road rally "Pervomaisky district of Minsk REMEMBERS!" within the campaign "30 days to Victory" which was organized by the administration of Pervomaisky district of the capital. Organizations and enterprises of the district from the Central Botanical Garden solemnly drove to the memorial complex "The mound of glory". At the foot of the Mound of Glory the participants of the rally gave a moment of silence in memory of Soviet soldiers and laid fresh flowers at the memorial monument. During the patriotic campaign, the participants of the rally also stopped at the 9th kilometer of the Moscow highway at the obelisk to 30 thousand buried Soviet prisoners of war, partisans and civilians shot by the Nazi invaders in 1941-1943. The representatives of  Belhydromet also took part in the solemn ceremony of laying flowers. Let every Belarusian remember the events of this terrible page of history in order to never allow Nazism in our country! As long as we live, we remember! 

The Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia is celebrated annually on April 2 in Belarus and Russia. On this day, both our peoples celebrate the idea of their unification. One of the first Agreements concluded after the collapse of the Soviet Union between the newly independent states was the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Hydrometeorology, signed in Moscow in 1992. The Agreement on the Formation of the Community of Belarus and Russia, signed in 1996, set the task of creating a unified meteorological service. In order to implement the provisions of the Agreement on the Formation of the Community of Belarus and Russia to organize and ensure joint activities of the two countries in the field of hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring, on December 18, 1996, the Executive Committee of the Community of Belarus and Russia approved the Regulations on the Committee of the Community of Belarus and Russia on Hydrometeorology and Monitoring of Environmental Pollution, which was subsequently renamed the Committee of the Union State on hydrometeorology and monitoring of environmental pollution (hereinafter referred to as Soyuzkomhydromet). Soyuzkomhydromet is an organ of the Union State that organizes and coordinates activities at the interstate level in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields (meteorology, climatology, hydrology, agrometeorology, heliogeophysics), monitoring environmental pollution, as well as providing government agencies, the population, the economy and the armed forces with data and information on actual and forecasted weather conditions - climatic conditions, the state and pollution of the natural environment. In order to ensure the optimal functioning of the Soyuzkomhydromet, a joint board of ten people was established. The joint board of the Soyuzkomhydromet consists of: the chairman, the deputy chairman (heads of authorized state administration bodies of Belarus and Russia in the field of hydrometeorology or persons appointed in these bodies as managers of activities in the field of hydrometeorology), as well as four members appointed on a parity basis from Belarus and Russia. Meetings of the joint board of the Soyuzkomhydromet have been held at least twice a year since 1996. Over the 28 years of its existence, Soyuzkomhydromet has held 76 meetings. 76th meeting of the Joint Board of the Union State Committee on Hydrometeorology and Environmental Pollution Monitoring Gomel, October 11-12, 2023 Traditionally, representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, the Standing Committee of the Union State, executive authorities and scientific circles of Russia and Belarus are invited to participate in the work of the joint board of the Soyuzkomhydromet. The meetings result in decisions determining the vector of further interaction and development of the state hydrometeorological services of Russia and Belarus for the near and medium term. Thanks to the activities of Soyuzkomhydromet, the state hydrometeorological services of Russia and Belarus regularly exchange advanced scientific developments in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields, carry out technical modernization, as well as increase human resources and production capacities. Historically, Soyuzkomhydromet acts as a guarantor of the development and implementation of programs of the Union State in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields. Thanks to the effective work of the state hydrometeorological services of Russia and Belarus, four programs of the Union State in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields have been successfully developed and implemented under the auspices of the Soyuzkomhydromet. A program of joint activities between Russia and Belarus within the framework of the Union State to ensure hydrometeorological safety in conditions of climate variability and change from 2023 to 2027 is being developed. The implementation of four programs of the Union State in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields contributed to: 1. Improving methods and technologies of hydrometeorological forecasts and warnings to ensure the safety of public life and reduce damage from dangerous and adverse weather events, as a result of which global and regional hydrodynamic models of a new generation have been developed. To ensure the agricultural sector, work was carried out to adapt a number of methods to the changed climatic conditions, and an automated operational system for assessing droughts was developed. 2. The development of climate research at the regional and international levels, as a result of which technologies have been developed to assess the effects of climate change on various sectors of the economy, as well as complexes of appropriate adaptation measures. 3. Improving environmental pollution monitoring technologies to increase the effectiveness of environmental protection activities of the Union State, as a result of which methods for predicting atmospheric air and surface water pollution in radiation accidents have been updated. Under the auspices of Soyuzkomhydromet, specialists from Russia and Belarus took part in the design of the Belarusian NPP. New methods have been developed for the determination of pollutants in natural waters and sediments, as well as comprehensive assessments of the state of water bodies, the background state of the natural environment and transboundary flows of pollutants. 4. Development of environmental monitoring systems, their technical, technological and metrological support, as a result of which new technologies and equipment have been developed for obtaining, collecting, processing and distributing information about the state of the natural environment. Serial production of meteorological, actinometric sensors and instruments, automated measuring systems and automatic stations has begun. In addition, the unified information support system for the needs of the Union State for hydrometeorological data has been optimized, new methods of exchanging storm warnings between the regional centers of Russia and Belarus have been worked out, and ways to improve data exchange technology have been identified. 5. Improvement of technologies for processing regime hydrometeorological information and the formation of databases on the state of the natural environment, as a result of which software tools for primary processing, accumulation and dissemination of regime meteorological information of stations and posts, hydrological information on rivers and canals, lakes and reservoirs, software complexes have been developed and implemented. The results achieved in the implementation of previous programs have a positive effect on the preservation of a favorable environment, the adaptation of economic sectors, vital interests of individuals and society to climate change, as well as increasing their level of protection from the effects of natural hazards and are also taken into account when developing a program for the next five-year period. It is planned that the program for 2023-2027 will increase the resilience of social, economic and environmental systems to climate variability and change by developing effective and sustainable regional and national climatic, hydrometeorological, geophysical and environmental services. In 2022, a course was taken to develop a new relevant program, which is currently in a high degree of readiness. In December 2023, a Plan for joint operational and production activities of Belyhydromet and Roshydromet was signed within the framework of the Union State Committee on Hydrometeorology and Environmental Pollution Monitoring for 2024-2025. Every year, the volume of exchange of hydrometeorological and related information between Belhydromet and Roshydromet increases. Over the 28 years of its existence, Soyuzkomhydromet has established itself as a unique integration platform that has a positive effect on the activities of the state hydrometeorological services of Russia and Belarus, and its activities play a significant role in the functioning of the Union State, especially taking into account the current global climate agenda. In addition, 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Formation of the Union of Russia and Belarus. When using the information reference to Belhydromet is obligatory