|  |
Ice fishing on Lake Vyacha, north of Minsk
|
Timeline: Belarus
1919 - The Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic is proclaimed.
1921 - The Treaty of Riga divides Belarus between Poland and Soviet Russia.
1922 - The Belarusian SSR becomes founding member of the USSR.
Stalin's purges
1930s - Belarus suffers from the purges against intellectuals and political opponents ordered by Stalin. More than one-hundred thousand people are executed in Belarus, thousands more sent to labour camps in Siberia.
1941 - Nazi Germany invades during the course of World War II. More than one million people are killed during the occupation, including many Jews. The capital, Minsk, is severely damaged.
Belarusian, Polish veterans at the Lenino World War II battle site | 1944 - The Soviet Red Army drives the Germans out of Belarus.
1945 - At the end of the war, much of western Belarus - previously belonging to Poland - is amalgamated into the Soviet Republic.
1960s - A policy of 'Russification' is pushed through.
1986 - Belarus is heavily affected by the fall-out from the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl in neighbouring Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of people receive high radiation doses. Around 20% of agricultural land is contaminated and rendered unusable.
1988 - Belarusian Popular Front formed as part of nationalist revival prompted by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's policy of 'openness'. Details emerge of the full extent of the executions during the Stalin period.
1990 - Belarusian becomes the official state language.
1991 - Belarus declares its independence as the Soviet Union breaks up. Minsk becomes the headquarters of the successor to the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Lukashenko era
1994 - Alexander Lukashenko becomes president. He introduces policies designed to strengthen ties with Russia.
1995 - Friendship and cooperation pact signed with Russia. National referenda result in a new flag almost identical to that of the former Soviet republic, and the restoration of Russian as an official language. The president's powers are also widened. There are protests on the streets, but these are broken up.
 |
Vladimir Goncharik failed to unseat Lukashenko in 2001
|
1996 - An agreement on economic union is signed with Russia. Lukashenko increases his powers again, extending his term in office.
1997 - Protesters against Lukashenko sign a pro-democracy manifesto 'Charter '97'. Belarus' observer status in the Council of Europe is suspended. Belarus and Russia ratify their union treaty.
1998 - The Belarus rouble sees its value halved. Food rationing is imposed. Belarus signs an accord with Russia, which would see their currencies and tax systems merge.
2000 October - Parliamentary elections are criticised by election observers who say they are not free and fair. Turnout in some constituencies is so low that a re-run will be necessary.
2000 November - President Lukashenko and Russia's President Putin agree on the introduction of a single currency by 2008.
2001 March - Parliamentary elections are re-run in thirteen constituencies where voter turnout in October 2000 was too low. Belarus officials declare the votes valid. Thousands demonstrate in Minsk against Lukashenko.
Re-election
2001 September - Lukashenko re-elected to serve second term. Opposition and Western observers say elections were unfair and undemocratic.
|
UNION WITH RUSSIA
Lukashenko and Putin: Proposed union is beset by wrangling
| 2002 August - Lukashenko rejects Russian proposals for new form of union under Russian constitution with single government and single parliament.
2002 November - US, 14 EU states impose travel ban on Lukashenko and several government ministers over poor human rights record and after OSCE officials are told to leave.
2003 March - Several opposition figures sentenced to brief jail terms over demonstration demanding president's resignation.
2003 April - US, EU lift travel ban on president and ministers after OSCE readmitted. But they remain critical of country's human rights record.
2004 April - Council of Europe condemns human rights abuses in Belarus after report accusing authorities there of blocking investigation into the fate of four men with opposition links who disappeared in Minsk in 1999 and 2000. EU imposes travel restrictions on number of senior officials.
|
2004 REFERENDUM
Vote lifted ban on third term for President Lukashenko
|
2004 July - Moscow protests as Russian TV office in Minsk closed down after Belarusian authorities accuse it of broadcasting report exaggerating size of anti-Lukashenko demonstration marking president's 10th anniversary in power.
2004 October - Referendum vote goes in favour of allowing country's president to serve more than previous limit of two terms. Opposition parties fail to win a single seat in parliamentary elections held at same time. Western observers are critical of the voting which they describe as neither free nor fair.
Street protests ensue. Demonstrators clash with police and dozens of arrests are reported.
2004 November - EU extends travel restrictions on senior officials. USA imposes sanctions.
2004 December - Opposition politician Mikhail Marinich jailed for five years for allegedly stealing office equipment. He declares the charge to be politically motivated.
| 
