Three regulations aimed at improving the conduct of archaeological research and preventing the activities of "black diggers" have been approved in Belarus. This decision is contained in Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 185, which comes into force today, BELTA reports.
Three regulations aimed at improving the conduct of archaeological research and preventing the activities of "black diggers" have been approved in Belarus. This decision is contained in Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 185, which comes into force today, BELTA reports.
Thus, the resolution approves the Regulation on the procedure for issuing permits for archaeological research, suspending and terminating their validity. In addition, the Regulation on the procedure for accounting for identified archaeological sites and artifacts, as well as the Regulation on regional (Minsk city) commissions for archaeological sites and artifacts have been approved.
The documents are adopted in pursuance of Decree No. 485, aimed at creating additional conditions for the preservation of the country's cultural heritage, as well as preventing the activities of "black diggers".
As explained by Vadim Lakiza, Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, thanks to the adoption of the regulations, a clear mechanism for the protection of archaeological sites and artifacts has now been established in Belarus. "Their search, including with a metal detector, without the permission of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus is now prohibited. A new administrative procedure for obtaining a permit (open list) for conducting archaeological research has been adopted, and administrative penalties are provided for violations. This is a very important point for the protection of our heritage," the scientist emphasized. Thus, the open list will be issued free of charge and will be valid from the date of receipt until the end of the calendar year in which it was issued.
The scientist noted that an important aspect is also the fact that the resolution clearly regulates the procedure for accounting for archaeological artifacts held by individuals, as well as the deadlines and procedure for their inclusion in the register of archaeological artifacts.