I just came across this article in Mosnews saying that $5 million has been set aside in the soon-to-be approved emergency war spending bill for democracy programs in Belarus.

The U.S. Senate has approved an extra $81 billion war budget that includes $5 million for programs aimed to support democracy in Belarus, RIA Novosti reports.

The programs will be under the control of the State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. The Bureau announced earlier this month that $2 million would be spent on ???????consolidation of democratic parties??????? in Belarus.

I started looking around the bill for it, and originally found that it had only provided for $33,700,000 to Ukraine, which was subsequently struck out. After a lot, and I mean a lot, of eye squinting, I finally found the right provision.

For an additional amount for éAssistance for the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union’ for assistance to Ukraine, $70,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2006: Provided, That of the funds appropriated under this heading, $5,000,000 shall be made available for democracy programs in Belarus , which shall be administered by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Department of State: Provided further, That of the funds appropriated under this heading, not less than $5,000,000 shall be made available through the United States Agency for International Development for humanitarian, conflict mitigation, and other relief and recovery assistance for needy families and communities in Chechnya, Ingushetia and elsewhere in the North Caucasus: Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of the conference report to accompany S. Con. Res. 95 (108th Congress).

It says that the money will be appropriated for democracy programs in Belarus, but I wonder exactly who those funds will go to. This report details actions taken by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor in 2004-2005, but nothing too specific with regards to actual program implementation. The commitee recommends, however, that no less than $2 million be spent on the development of democratic political parties there.

Here is a graph of previous funding for countries in the region.