Department for Archives and Records Management held a board meeting
On 24 July 2014 the Department for Archives and Records Management of the Justice Ministry of the Republic of Belarus held a board meeting to discuss the issues: on handling inquiries from citizens and legal entities at the state archival institutions in Belarus in the first half of 2014; on the forms of the Passport of the State Archival Institution of the Republic of Belarus; on results of work at the Department for Archives and Records Management in the first half of 2014.
On the first issue the board noted that work of archival authorities and institutions in Belarus with inquiries from citizens and legal entities in the first half of 2014 was organised and conducted in accordance with the Belarus Law of 18 July 2011 “On Petitions from Citizens and Legal Persons”, Presidential Decree of 15 October 2007 № 498 “On Additional Measures for Processing Petitions from Citizens and Legal Persons”, Presidential Directive of 27 December 2006 № 2 “On Measures for Further Debureaucratization of the State Apparatus”.
The activity of archival authorities and institutions in the reported period was focused on a timely and qualitative execution of inquiries from citizens and legal entities. The issue of archival reference and other information documents to the applicants was conducted on basis of written applications without additional submission of other documents.
The Department and the regional authorities on archives and records management exercised permanent control over the observance of legislation in handling inquiries from citizens and legal entities.
Much attention was paid to the observance of time for handling inquiries, organisation of personal visits to archives, information contents of internet-resources and information stands. Additionally the state archives informed the public of the composition and contents of archival records by means of mass media.
An important place in work with petitions and inquiries was organisation of personal visits to the archives. In the reported period 8 283 citizens paid personal visits to the archival agencies and institutions.
On the third issue it was noted that the Department for Archives and RM conducted activities in the first half of 2014 in accordance with the Plan of Actions for 2014, the instructions of the Presidential Administration, the Government and the Ministry of Justice. The tasks scheduled for the first half of 2014 have been fulfilled. Additionally, a big amount of extra-budget work has been completed.
Work continued on the organisational and financial provision of the State Programme “Archives of Belarus” for 2011-2015. As part of the State Investment Programme a new building was put into operation for the National Historical Archives of Belarus in Grodno in April 2014.
On 3-4 June 2014 a professional meeting was held between archivists from Belarus and Russia at Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. The participants discussed issues of records preservation on various media.
As part of activities according to the Plan of Joint Actions between the Belarusian Department for Archives and Records Management and the Federal Archival Agency of Russia for 2014-2016, a joint board meeting was held to discuss issues of professional training and further education for Russian and Belarusian archivists.