Belarusian news agency BelTA turns 102

MINSK. KAZINFORM On 23 December the Belarusian news agency BelTA marks its 102nd anniversary. BelTA is a credible source of prompt and reliable information about events in Belarus and the world. Every day, by covering developments in Belarus, the news agency chronicles the country's history and records the achievements of its citizens, BelTA reports.

BelTA's story began on 23 December 1918 when the Russian Telegraph Agency (ROSTA) at the Russian Central Executive Committee opened a Belarusian office in Minsk. In January 1921 it became known as the Belarusian Bureau of the Russian Telegraph Agency (BelROSTA).

During the years of the New Economic Policy (NEP), the bureau was reorganized into the Belarusian branch of the Soviet Union Commercial Telegraph Agency (BelCTA) in January 1924. The office published the Belarusian Commercial Bulletin for the BSSR trade organizations.

By a resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR of 7 March 1931, the Belarusian branch of the Soviet Union Commercial Telegraph Agency was transformed into the Belarusian Telegraph Agency BelTA. The agency had the status of a self-sustaining organization, was subordinate to the BSSR government and had the right to send its own correspondents abroad.