in statements by president lukashenko he said and i quote three things are expected from villages today that we will sell our state assets for so there was with. other social obligations we haven't seen before people and it will give up our sovereignty but i was going to be clear we will never do that and. any other code of these words have a broader context to them and we see that the president is emotional and very specific as usual do you think these words mean that he doesn't want russian investors to participate in the privatization of deliberation companies but. i don't think so it's lower cost think what he means is that the privatization should be fair and transparent it doesn't you said no there was furniture industry has been sold out entirely but none of it to. tell you honestly everybody. is the most affordable among quality products. as well i don't mean to say that we have completely eliminated state ownership from the industry but it will help to auction for furniture companies in a row in the end indeed the bodies are not from russia. we have sold some four or five furni

understand that the protesters are demanding that one of europe's longest standing leaders alexander lukashenko must stand down the crowd is unhappy with the government's actions in the latest financial crisis and brother was i'd like to remind our viewers that over the past two months berlin was has been plunged into deep financial turmoil with this currency devaluation was two fold in the space of just several weeks so the tension is clearly mounting in this post soviet state where understand according to several bell russian bloggers that protest might die down for another month for three or four weeks or so but in august they are expected to intensify again and we of course be keeping track of all the details happening in this state. the reporting right now palestinian activists say they are determined to deliver humanitarian aid to gaza despite the greek government banning their ships from leaving port. they staged a hunger strike and a protest rally against the ruling they also reportedly rejected a suggestion by the greek government to send aid it's garza u n supervision israel has been

you expect it to expand further what i would like to call greece in statements of its president lukashenko he said and i quote three things are expected from villages today that we will sell our state assets for so long to stop us they will withdraw the social obligations we have assumed before people is that we will give up our sovereignty and i was going to be clear we will never do that and i thought like any other codes of these words have a broader context to them look i've seen that we see that the president is emotional and very specific as usual what do you think these words by looking shinku mean that he doesn't want russian investors to participate in the privatization of the russian companies and little that it's an issue postal no i don't think so it's a slower passing what he means is that if you can privatization should be fair and transparent to the fullest doesn't you said there was furniture industry has been sold out entirely but not to russians right simple i'll tell you honestly everybody buys delusory french and russia just the most affordable among quality products. a

lukashenko usually finds a reason to extend the jail sentences. these sentences are awful indeed. as representative ros-lehtinen pointed out, this also includes five of the nine presidential candidates who ran against lukashenko. their family, lawyers, journalists and activists continue to be harassed and intimidated. it is the worst political crackdown in europe in over a decade and it's ongoing, madam speaker. the repression regime was in full force earlier this week as police broke up protestors attempting to mark their country's independence day. hundreds were detained, 140 already received administrative sentences or fines, including independent journalists reporting on rallies held across the country. . through a series of rigged elections, large-scale intimidation and suppression of independent media and civil society, the dictator has long since consolidated his control over virtually all national institutions. his dictatorship is the worst of any in europe today. most significantly about the legislation, the bill supports target the sanctions that expresses the sense of t

people to come to their locality, central squares, every wednesday to, press discontent with the lukashenko regime. journalists and ordinary people have and continue to be arrested. the authorities have also launched a distributed denial of service attack on opposition websites. the united states and the european union continue to condemn these activities. we must think strategicically about bela louis post lukashenko when the people are finally able to establish a democratic society based upon the principles of a premarket economy. in anticipation of that day, each and everyone should prepare now so as to be in a position to rapidly assist in the establishment of internationally recognized elections and rules-based transparent government in belarus. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from georgia rise? >> i ask permission to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. johnson: mr. speaker,