EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Following a timely invitation from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus to observe the 28 September 2008 parliamentary elections, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Belarus on 12 August 2008, consisting of 15 experts and 40 long-term observers, further supplemented by 308 short-term observers prior to election day. The OSCE/ODIHR EOM assessed compliance of the election process with OSCE commitments and other international standards as well as with Belarus’ domestic legislation. For election day, the OSCE/ODIHR joined efforts with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) to form the OSCE EOM. In total, the OSCE EOM included 449 short-term observers from 43 participating States.
Turkish building companies show interest in the construction market of Belarus, Erdogan Gunduzpolat, director of Turkish consulting company Consultus, said during business negotiations at the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on November 26.
The 
Belarus will get the second $1 billion tranche of the Russian loan in February 2009, Belarus Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Kabyakou told media on November 28.
The Belarusian government has initiated new talks with Russia on the price of the gas to be supplied to Belarus in 2009, said Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Kabyakou.
