ZAKHARANKA TO BE RECOGNIZED LATE NEXT TUESDAY

Kastrychnitski borough court of Minsk will probably rule to recognize missing Yury Zakharanka dead next Tuesday, reports Radio Racyja. Aleh Volchak, representative of Zakharanka's family, told Radio Racyja, judge Viktar Bialanin again asked Minsk prosecutor's office for the case materials of Zakharanka's disappearance.

During the case hearing Aleh Volchak claimed the necessity to recognize ex-Interior Minister dead since his disappearance – 7 May 1999. Prosecutor Sviatlana Nikalayeva insisted, the date of the court verdict should be regarded as the official date of death.
Judge Viktar Bialanin closed the argument and ruled to return to judicial investigation procedures. He applied to Minsk city prosecutor's office for the case materials on the fact of Zakharanka's disappearance.
The hearings will be reopened on Monday, 2 p.m. Aleh Volchak assumes, the final decision will be taken on Tuesday.
Zakharanka's wife Volha, living in Germany, submitted the petition to recognize her spouse dead. Mrs. Zakharanka insists, Alexander Lukashenka is directly linked to her husband's disappearance.
Lawyer Aleh Volchak expects he will be allowed to familiarize with the criminal case. He hopes, he will have a chance to receive more information about ex-Minister's disappearance. "If they refuse to give information, they'll admit the link of special services to abducting Yury Zakharanka", -- thinks Aleh Volchak.
Uladzimir Baradach and Vasil Shlyndzikaw, members of the public commission on the Genaral's disappearance, spoke in court on Monday. They announced, that the commission came to conclusion, that Zakharanka was no longer alive.
The former country’s Interior Minister, General Yury Zakharanka, was kidnapped by strangers on 7 May 1999 near his house. The body of the missing General was never found. Yury Zakharanka served as Minister of Internal Affairs in the cabinet of the President Lukashenka. Later he left his post and joined the opposition. He started creation of the opposition Officers' Union.
Investigators Aleh Sluchak and Zmitser Petrushkevich, who fled to the USA last year, informed the journalists about the "Death Squadron", which kidnapped and killed opposition politicians. They state, former Interior Minister Yury Sivakow and former chief of the Security Council Viktar Sheiman personally managed the "Death Squadron". At present Sivakow deals with personnel in the president's office; Sheiman holds the post of the Prosecutor General. According to Sluchak and Petrushkevich, the "Death Squadron" is guilty of abducting vice-speaker of the 13th Supreme Soviet Viktar Hanchar, businessman Anatol Krasowski and ORT cameraman Dzmitry Zavadski.