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Telephone
Country code: 375. To make international calls it is necessary to dial 8, wait for a tone, then dial 10. Calls from Belarus to some countries must be booked through the international operator. Public telephones take cards. Grey booths are for internal calls and blue ones for international calls.
Mobile Telephone
Coverage is limited to main towns. Handsets can be hired at the airport (Belcel office) and in Minsk.
Internet
There are a few Internet cafes in Minsk. Access is also available at some post offices.
Post
Airmail to Western Europe takes a minimum of 10 days. The Central Post Office (Minsk, near the railway station) and the Yubileynaya and Planeta hotels in Minsk offer express mail services. DHL Worldwide Express and Federal Express also have branches in Minsk.
Post office hours: 0800-2000 (central office in Minsk).
Post office hours: 0800-2000 (central office in Minsk).
Media
The Belarusian authorities have been heavily criticised by human rights and media organisations for suppressing freedom of speech, muzzling the independent press and denying the opposition access to state owned media. The president's administration controls decisions on content and the appointment of senior editors of state media.
Government-controlled newspapers enjoy considerable state subsidies and financial privileges, while many of the opposition print media have faced increased charges, been forced to close down, change name or publish abroad. But some leading privately-owned newspapers survive thanks to popular demand.
The Belarusian National State Teleradio Company operates domestic radio and TV channels and an external radio service. Some radio stations target Belarusian listeners from outside the country.
Government-controlled newspapers enjoy considerable state subsidies and financial privileges, while many of the opposition print media have faced increased charges, been forced to close down, change name or publish abroad. But some leading privately-owned newspapers survive thanks to popular demand.
The Belarusian National State Teleradio Company operates domestic radio and TV channels and an external radio service. Some radio stations target Belarusian listeners from outside the country.
Press
The English-language paper Belarus Today is published weekly. The principal dailies are Narodnaya Hazeta and Respublika, all printed in Belarusian and Russian. Sovetskaya Beloroussiya is printed in Russian. Zvyazda is printed in Belarusian. Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta, which temporarily closed in 2003, has since resumed publication and is the main private daily paper. Belorusskaya Gazeta is a weekly private publication.
TV
• Belarusian TV, which is state-run, operates three channels, including satellite station Belarus-TV.
Radio
• Belarusian Radio, which is state-run, operates three national networks and an external service.
• Radio Baltic Waves brodcasts from Lithuania while Radio Ratsyya is based in Poland.
• Radio Baltic Waves brodcasts from Lithuania while Radio Ratsyya is based in Poland.
