Viktar Ivashkevich National Award for Human Rights

We decided to devote the National Human Rights Award to Viktar Ivashkevich, one of the leaders of the Belarusian revival. Viktar gave his life to fighting for Belarus's freedom. His courage, dedication, adherence to principles and honesty became our guides. Viktar Ivashkevich was among the initiators and members of the organising committee of the civil initiative Charter'97. We decided to name the award after him.

Here are heroes of the year:
Andrzej Poczobut

The winner of the award “For personal courage”. He is a journalist true to his profession and one of the leaders of the Union of Poles of Belarus, the organisation persecuted by the Belarusian authorities. In spite of pressure, criminal cases and a jail term, he calls things by their proper names, critisises the government in his articles and doesn't try to hide what should be given as much publicity as possible.

Andrzej Poczobut's term of restriction of liberty expired this year. Even being under control of police and security services for several years, he continued to publish brave articles in Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland) and on charter97.org. Andrzej also published the book “System Belarus” this year trying to expose the true nature of the Lukashenka regime. “Dictator Lukashenka is a cynical, dishonest and unscrupulous manipulator. These qualities allowed him to come to power and keep it,” Andrzej said during the presentation of his book.
Uladzimir Yaromenak

The winner of the award “For personal courage in human rights activities”. Political prisoner Uladzimir Yaromenak, an activist of Young Front, was given the second term of detention (3 months) on a cynical accusation of “violating the rules of preventive supervision”.

The fate of Uladzimir Yaromenak reflects today's terrible tendency. Political prisoners arrested during and after the 2010 presidential campaign are still in jails, but the freed prisoners of conscience are being arrested again. Each of former political prisoners is under the close control of the authorities.

Awarding Uladzimir Yaromenak we appreciate his courage and firmness and call on the world to turn attention to the demands to release and rehabilitate all Belarusian political prisoners.
Belarus Free Theatre

The team of the Belarus Free Theatre, which continues to work in Belarus, receives the award “For courage in creative work”. Theatre heads Nicolai Khalezin, Vladimir Shcherban and Natalia Kaliada had to leave the country due to repressions organised by the authorities after December 19, 2010. Today, performances by the Belarus Free Theatre are known across the world.

Every performance in Minsk is a great risk. The police and security services attend almost all shows and arrest actors and spectators. The theatre lost its premises this year. The authorities forbade the group to perform plays even in a private house on the outskirts of Minsk. Brave actors risk their freedom to continue to perform on different stages and hold performances in Minsk's streets.

“Theatre is not a building. Theatre is where something really important takes place. It may happen in any place,” director Vladimir Shcherban told the website.
Tatsiana Novikava

Ecologist Tatsiana Novikava and her colleagues struggle against the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus. Protesting against numerous violations in the NPP construction, ecological activists went to the frontline. Like political opposition, they face repression. Tatsiana Novikava met arrests and pressure for her activities. She struggles for Belarusians to receive the true information about environmentally dangerous projects of the authorities and to be able to influence the decisions important for the country. The brave woman received the award for personal courage in the struggle for our rights to live safely.

Other people also deserve the National Human Rights Award this year, but we try not to award the same people twice.

The National Human Rights Award was founded by Charter’97 in 1998. In different years the award was granted to participants of a camp on Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk in March 2006; political prisoners Ales Bialiatski, Aliaksandr Kazulin, Zmitser Dashkevich, Mikhail Marynich, Pavel Seviarynets, Mikalai Statkevich, Andrei Kim, Siarhei Parsiukevich; first head of independent Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich, activist of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union Alena Zakhozhaya; believers, who went on hunger strike to defend the New Life protestant church; Ivona Matsukevich, the head of the parish committee of St. Joseph’s church; human rights activists Valer Shchukin and Halina Yubko; wives of disappeared opposition leaders and a journalist Iryna Krasouskaya, Zinaida Hanchar, Svyatlana Zavadskaya; wife of the former political prisoner Tatsiana Klimava-Leanovich; People’s Artist of Belarus Zinaida Bandarenka; opposition activist Uladzimir Plashchenka; defenders of the Kurapaty memorial complex; the creative association “Pahonya”; music bands N.R.M., Novaye Neba and Lyapis Trubetskoy with its leader Siarhei Mikhalok; Yakub Kolas Belarusian Humanities Lyceum closed down by the authorities; journalists Pavel Mazheika, Mikola Markevich, Viktar Ivashkevich, Liubou Luniova, Yuras Karmanau, Maryna Koktysh, Henadz Barbarych, Yulia Darashkevich; human rights activist Yana Paliakova; trade union leader Henadz Fiadynich; Swedish pilots Tomas Mazetti, Per Cromwell, Hannah Frey; political prisoners convicted in the case of December 19; the initiative Vyzvalenne and other famous public figures, politicians and journalists.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

The Economist: Belarus expects social unrests in 2014

The influential magazine predicts a “high risk” of protests in our country next year.

It follows from a survey conducted by The Economist.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) made a list of countries where social unrests can erupt in 2014. Belarus is among the countries with a high risk of protests. The same group includes other CIS countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine. Most states with a “high” and “very high” risk of social unrest in 2014 are Asian and African.

“Declines in income and high unemployment are not always followed by unrest. Only when economic trouble is accompanied by other elements of vulnerability is there a high risk of instability. Such factors include wide income-inequality, poor government, low levels of social provision, ethnic tensions and a history of unrest. Of particular importance in sparking unrest in recent times appears to have been an erosion of trust in governments and institutions: a crisis of democracy,” Laza Kekic from the Economist Intelligence Unit says.

Researchers remind that many countries, such as Ukraine, Bulgaria, Brazil, Argentina, Tunisia, Egypt and Turkey, have had protests in the past twelve months. Even places traditionally more muted, such as Japan and Singapore, have seen demonstrators in the streets. Social inequalities and political discontent have spurred citizens to gather. Resistance can be co-ordinated with greater ease than ever in the age of the smartphone.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

USA: We stand with people of Belarus

Washington urges to release and rehabilitate Belarusian political prisoners immediately.

It is said in a statement by representative of the US Department of State Marie Harf on the anniversary of the crackdown on protests against the rigged 2010 presidential elections.

“Three years after the Belarusian Government launched its brutal crackdown on civil society, the democratic opposition, and independent media, we remember the political prisoners who remain in detention and reiterate our call for their immediate and unconditional release and the restoration of their political rights. We note the December 1, 2010 joint statement between our two countries, which affirmed that enhanced respect for democracy and human rights remains central to improving bilateral relations, and is essential to the progress of Belarus and its citizens.

As we mark the third anniversary of the events of December 19, 2010, we stand with the people of Belarus and reaffirm our readiness to help them build a democratic, prosperous, and truly independent European state,” the statement says.

The presidential elections were held in Belarus on December 19, 2010. After polling stations closed, tens of thousands of Belarusians gathered for a rally against the rigged results of the presidential elections. It was the biggest protest rally in Belarus for the last few years. Peaceful protests were brutally suppressed by the police and troops.

Arrests and interrogations of activists lasted for several months. More than 700 people were thrown behind bars, scores of beaten people were taken to hospitals. Criminal cases were opened against 46 leaders and activists of the opposition, including presidential candidates. Many of them received prison terms of from two to six years. Thousands of Belarusians had to flee the country fearing criminal prosecution.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Lukashenka again tries to pull wool over West's eyes

Lukashenka says, that Belarus ready to take any steps to normalize ties with EU.

Belarus is ready to take any steps to normalize its relations with the European Union, but the ball is in the 28-nation bloc's court, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said while accepting the credentials of new foreign ambassadors in Minsk on December 16, BelaPAN said.

Mr. Lukashenka said that Belarus and the EU would have to improve their relations because of the country's proximity to the bloc. "We will have to live together as neighbors," the government's news agency BelTA quoted him as saying.

Mr. Lukashenka said that European businesses were interested to expand ties with Belarus. "I don't want to say that the ball is in your court, this is a journalistic cliche. But it is indeed in your court," he noted.

Minsk is frankly interested in the development of neighborly relations with the EU, Mr. Lukashenka said. "This is due not only to our geographical, historical and cultural proximity, but also to the need to adopt joint measures of response to regional challenges and threats," he added.

Mr. Lukashenka warned that fruitful joint work in the sphere would be possible only on the basis of equal rights and mutual respect. "We have too many external threats. Let's think together how we could fight them instead of leering at each other. That does not suit your or our interests," he said.

Mr. Lukashenka said that Belarus had managed to achieve much progress in relations with the EU in general and its member states, such as France, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia, thanks to a "pragmatic" and "positive result-oriented" approach.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Slava Ukraine! Zhyve Belarus!

Liberating struggle is ongoing in our countries today.

I am very glad that Catherine Ashton is going to Kiev. I strongly hope that she will not try and talk the opposition and the people of Ukraine into helping the European Union come back to negotiating with Yanukovich.

I really fear that European leaders would prefer not to notice that the people of Ukraine have already spoken by all the rules of the European Union. The people of Ukraine expressed their will and Europe’s responsibility is to hear that voice and help to implement that will. Such a loud voice of the people have not been heard in a former Soviet republic since the time of the collapse of the totalitarian USSR. European politicians, who offered us to advance to Europe with the help of dictators and autocrats, should understand what is really going on now in Ukraine.

Not so long ago, in the times of the Cold War, the UN recognized the right of national liberation movements for armed struggle. This has become a norm of international law. The right for armed resistance to terrorists, who take hostages, also is not questioned.

That is exactly what is taking place in the post-Soviet space: struggle for national liberation and fight on terrorists, who have taken whole nations as hostages, for the right of people for freedom and independence.

It is just that all of us, all the democratic movements in the former USSR republics, consciously refused from using violence for standing for our rights and base our activities on the principle of non-violent resistance. Please, note that we have refused from violence, but those, who illegally hold to power, like in Belarus, rely exactly on violence and produce more and more punitive institutions and draconian laws for implementing violence.

Once, millions of people in Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia etc. rose against the totalitarian state, fought for your and our freedom. These peaceful uprisings in the countries of Eastern Europe have led to the liberation of whole countries and nations. Thanks to that the European Union was established, the only union of states in the world based on the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The Baltic States joined it.

It is bitter to hear today when some politicians from the EU’s new member states, especially the young ones, pat us condescendingly on the shoulder and teach us how to fight for freedom. They say: it all depends on you, you have to fight and meanwhile we will deal with your dictators, trade with them, negotiate with them, ensure our security with their help.

We fought for your freedom. We helped you become Europe. And we helped Germany unite. Today we want to live with Yanukovich, Lukashenka and Putin just like you wanted to live with Kadar, Zhivkov, Honecker, Jaruzelski, Gusak and Ceausescu.

We are no idiots.

When Eastern Europe was fighting for freedom not everyone in the West supported this struggle, but there were leaders like US president Reagan, who cast away all the doubts, all the matters of economic and practical reasoning and focused on freedom, democracy and human rights. They used all their authority, economic, financial, intellectual resources to liberate the countries of the Eastern Europe. They won.

Now Europe must do that same for Ukraine, which means for all of us. It has all the capabilities for that. It should not try to buy Yanukovich, offering him more money than the Kremlin does. He counts on that. For that purpose did he undertake all the recent somersaults not signing the Association Agreement. This was not the reason for mass uprisings of Ukrainians, not the integration with the EU. It was a catalyst but not the reason.

Ukrainian people are fighting today for their freedom, for the right to elect and change their public officers via elections, for the dignity and rights of every person, for the values that Europe is based on. Ukraine today is fighting against the recreation of the Soviet Empire that threatens not only to destroy us, but Europe itself. It is not so difficult to understand and to direct European policy at supporting basic values, protecting freedom and democracy. As well as at adopting the toughest measures against those, who encroach on these values.

I am very glad that Catherine Ashton is going to Kiev. Starting from 2006 I have been convincing all my interlocutors among European politicians, analysts, diplomats, members of parliaments that the leaders of the European Union must be on site of events during mass protests against the falsification of elections in Belarus. May be in Ukraine – Europe deems Ukraine more important than Belarus – the European Union will help the people to defend their choice.

I am convinced that without the protests in Belarus in 2010 there would not have been protests in Russia in 2011 against the rigged parliamentary elections and Bolotnaya Square protest in 2012, there would not have been Euromaidan in Ukraine in 2013. This is a liberation struggle, which will go on and end up in victory, and Europe can either support this struggle or pretend that it is accidental and is just the fight for power in the country.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Lukashenka nervous over Euromaidan

The ruler is concerned about the events in Ukraine.

Lukashenka and Ryhor Rapota, the state secretary of the Belarusian-Russian “union state” discussed preparations for a meeting of the Supreme State Council and the development of the bilateral cooperation. The events in Ukraine were among the topics discussed, Interfax news agency reports.

“I'd like to hear your opinion on the Belarusian-Russian relations in the context of the current problems, including the EU-Ukraine conflict, how it influences our relations and what lessons we can learn,” Lukashenka said.

The ruler reminded about the upcoming meeting of the Supreme State Council of the “union state” and offered to discuss preparations for the event.

“I'd like you to inform me about the process of the preparation. Tell me what doesn't match, what wasn't agreed on. Do we need interference of the presidents to reduce debates at the meeting?”, the ruler asked. He proposed to discuss the preparations for a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the “union state” (scheduled for December 13) that prepares issues for discussion at the Supreme State Council.

Rapota said to journalists after the meeting with Lukashenka that the session of the Supreme State Council was scheduled for late December. “I think we announce the date officially in a day or two,” the state secretary said adding that “the last discussions of the date are under way”.

Protests against rejection of European integration have been holding in Ukraine for the second week. Representatives of the Belarusian opposition organisations take active part in rallies. The number of protesters significantly increased after the riot police brutally dispersed a rally on November 30.
Thousands of Ukrainians came to St Michael Square on November 30 to express their protests against the brutal dispersion of the rally.

The opposition gathered several hundreds of thousands of people in Kiev on December 1.

Protesters occupied a part of the Kiev City Hall and the trade unions' building. Unidentified provocateurs and the police had clashes in Bankova Street near the presidential administration.

Ukraine's parliament failed to resign the government as the opposition demanded. In response, demonstrators blocked a number of government buildings, including Yanukovych's residence.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

European Belarus civic campaign’s leader has spoken to Ukrainians.

“Brother Ukrainians!

The whole world and millions of Belarusians are looking at you with hope today and wish you victory. You have come out to the streets in order to stand for your freedom, your right to choose European future for Ukraine. Europe cannot be considered complete without Ukraine, as well as without Belarus. The European Union is the only association of countries in the world, where democracy and human rights are in the forefront.

The right to be Europeans has been given to Ukrainians by birth, and no ruler can trade this right.

The authorities that do not take into account the opinion of the people, hold their political opponents in prisons, cannot be European. Playing with dictators and autocrats do not lead to anything good.

New pro-European leaders will lead Ukraine to Europe, for whom people’s choice is sacred.

Freedom to Yulia Tymoshenko!

Freedom to political prisoners in Ukraine and Belarus!

To your and our freedom!"

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

The abduction of Europe

It all started in Belarus.

The slowing of democratic development is becoming increasingly evident around the world. Freedom House reports that fewer countries now guarantee all political and civil rights and freedoms than just a few years ago. This worrying retreat of democracy has been going on for more than five years.

This is largely due to a change in attitudes towards promoting democracy in the US and Europe.

There is a growing perception that democratic Europe is turning its back on the very principles it is based on; even the emotional connection to recent history, the history of fighting for freedom, for European values, is becoming weaker.

Promising past

The success story of European unification is no longer a political guiding light. However, it's worth reminding that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe wasted no time in turning its back on the former empire to join NATO and the EU.

Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Romania joined the EU. Reality exceeded the boldest of forecasts for the democratic world, for progress and human rights in Europe. The dream of a Europe whole and free became reality for much of the European continent.

In the 1990s, it still appeared that the constituent republics of the former Soviet Union, or at least those in geographic Europe, would follow suit. This was the best time to create and develop democratic institutions in the European portion of the Soviet Union. Indeed, many Western NGOs came to Belarus, Ukraine and Russia at that time to help develop civil society. However, for different reasons they failed to achieve any lasting success in these countries.

Early in the new millennium, Europe needed US support, including support for accession of new members to the EU, and was aligned with the US foreign policy, which was based on the core premise of promoting democracy above all. Europe and especially Eastern European states that reclaimed its European identity benefited from this solidarity on principles.

The entire Former Soviet Union (FSU) is now in full retreat, away from democratic values. And Western NGOs and their local partners are under the greatest pressure ever in all the years of their operation in the FSU nations. NGOs have been declared "foreign agents" in Russia. They have been "enemies of the people" in Belarus for years.

There is a clear danger of Russia becoming a totalitarian state. Totalitarian tendencies are on the rise in Ukraine as well, even as it is negotiating to sign an association agreement with the EU. It is not a “civilisation choice” of Ukraine that is being negotiated but an arrangement to accommodate the interests of an authoritarian ruling elite in Ukraine.

Disappointing present

Currently the US is distancing itself not only from promoting democracy in general but also from the process of promoting democracy in Europe. Going back to the "security paradigm" that de-emphasizes concerns for human rights and democracy lead to the US having a working relationship, sometimes very close and friendly, with the majority of non-free countries around the world. This is why the "Arab Spring" came as a great surprise to the US, creating problems for the US, the EU, and the world. No matter what provoked the nature was revolt against tyrants that were partners of the West.

Europe is now repeating this mistake. It has started sliding back into the Realpolitik mode of 20th century, dating from an era of two opposing systems, two different ideologies. This is a policy based on fallacy. It is a path that is harmful for the EU and a path that will lead to outright betrayal of democratic movements in nations living under authoritarian regimes or dictatorships.

One of the arguments behind this policy is the false premise that Russia is resisting Western influence and doing everything to oppose it and that the EU must therefore discern any signs of opposition to Russia in other FSU nations, and help support this opposition.

The key error here is thinking that by supporting these regimes against Russia the EU is weakening their ties with totalitarianism.

In reality the fact is that the FSU nations have created an alternative development model and are now building upon it, with Russia as the heavyweight in the region, and with help of Western Realpolitik. Whatever differences some of the FSU nations may occasionally have with Russia, turning a blind eye to the nature of their regimes and supporting them just because they are from time to time at odds with Russia is lethal for values and for the future of those countries.

Under this policy, the basic values Europe stands for and is based upon tend to take second seat to Realpolitik considerations. Geopolitical rivalry once again comes to the fore, which results not only in reneging on one's principles, but also in strengthening and legitimising the totalitarian regimes.

The totalitarian government model is currently much more appealing than Western-style democracy to the ruling groups of FSU countries. They have chosen this development path and are never going to adopt Western democratic ways by their own choice. Why should they?

At the moment issues like human rights and democracy can be excluded from meaningful bilateral trade relations. They can always reach a deal with Europe that is monetarily profitable to both sides. Liberalisation and democratisation will cost them power. At the same time there is little cost to them for failing to comply with international obligations and to change under current EU policy and huge risks to their dictatorships if they do change.

Post-Soviet totalitarianism has taken things much further than the Soviet Union ever did. The former superpower at least had some respect for national borders. It opposed the West in the Third World, rather than on the enemy's home ground. In Western Europe, the USSR used “conventional” methods of espionage, attempts at propaganda and support for local communists.

Things are very different today. Post-Soviet totalitarianism has found Europe's weakness and is increasingly trying to impose its own rules of engagement in Europe. This may not yet be a conscious strategy, but the scale and effectiveness of this “abduction of Europe" are truly impressive.

Dangerous future

It all began with significant investment in the Old World. Post-Soviet nouveaux riches became welcome in Western Europe. At first, they simply came over for a short holiday, to party and enjoy "European" life, while gradually coming to understand that they did not have to adapt to unnecessary convention, as their money was dazzling to the citizens of the EU.

Businessmen and politicians from the FSU started buying up real estate, moving their business to Europe, or at least putting them under companies in European offshore zones. They began buying sports clubs and entertainment venues on the Continent. The experience of those early weekend trips to Europe came in handy, and proved a great eye-opener. Huge amounts of cash began flowing west and huge amount of lawyers were hired to justify it, explain it and arrange for its deposit in western banks.

Business interests from all FSU countries currently have a presence in all European countries. London, which many of the Russian super-rich call home, is a prominent example. On the face of it, this would all be perfectly normal, even progressive development, if wasn’t for the fact that business interests across the FSU have no respect for laws and rules of the game accepted in the West.

These business interests bring their grey schemes of making money to Europe, making a "quick Euro" or a few hundred million quick Euros without proper control and while following corrupt practices. They also actively lobby EU member states, especially their policies in respect of FSU nations.

Business interests need lobbying, and this was precisely what post-Soviet businessmen and EU politicians started engaging in, acting through European politicians and members of parliaments and other legislators. The Latvians lobby for relaxing constraints on Belarusian petro chemicals, many of which are exported through Latvian ports. Former German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder joined Gazprom in the midst of its energy wars with the West.

The next level of infiltration of Europe was through the media and think tanks. After several failed attempts to set up or support NGOs in the West that would promote pro totalitarian propaganda, Russia and several other nations simply started buying analysis, journalists and media personalities, who could use their full knowledge of Western sensibilities and mind-sets to promote the interests of totalitarian regimes and dictatorships. The television channel Russia Today is a prime example of this. Native English speakers and pundits are hired as presenters to present pro Russia news in perfect English.

Expensive PR agencies are more than happy to see totalitarian regimes of the FSU among their clients, going to great lengths to make sure human rights violations in these countries are overlooked in Europe. Lord Timothy Bell and his PR agency eagerly came to serve Lukashenka government to lobby its interests in the UK and in Europe.

The push-back from the FSU is strong. The opposition to a EU Magnitsky law is a prime example of this with the EU being afraid to pass an act for fear of derailing its relations with Russia.

Dictators around the world are watching closely. They happily note that the Court of Justice of the European Union has accepted the claims of the blacklisted representatives of the dictatorial regime in Belarus who pose as journalists or election committee officials as well as some oligarchs who serve the dictator to be removed from the list.

Not only accepted but even ruled to pay the lawyers of the criminals that goes against European values. We also see the Zimbabwean tyrant Robert Mugabe filing a multibillion-dollar lawsuit over the losses suffered from EU Sanctions. Frightfully expensive European lawyers will now try to prove in court that destroying one's own country and one's own people is a tyrant's inalienable right. That'll be quite a precedent.

European democracy is increasingly becoming a product for purely domestic consumption. It is in full effect in the EU, where politicians, journalists, government officials and ordinary citizens alike are more than happy to benefit from it, and it grinds to a halt at the EU’s boundaries.

Democratic principles prevail inside the EU: independent courts protect human rights from encroachment by other individuals as well as governments. Outside the EU, one can conveniently forget about principles and deal with dictators.

The policy that Vaclav Havel described as "the sinister experience of dictator appeasement," is now called a "policy of engagement." This is precisely what the EU is offering Lukashenko, the man whose regime is responsible for disappearances and murders of opposition leaders, journalists, mass human rights violations, as well as destruction of national culture, history and language.

It all started in Belarus

The abduction of Europe started with Lukashenko. The foundation of Europe's last dictatorship was laid in Belarus precisely in the 1990s when Europe lived through its best period of great expectations, enlargement and common values. Lukashenko achieved a successful coup d'etat (disguised as a referendum) and assumed total power in 1996.

The EU responded by suspending relations with the regime, hoping that the next election would be fair. Popular opposition leaders who enjoyed broad support were murdered in 1999: Gennady Karpenko, Yury Zakharenko, Victor Gonchar.

Every one of them could have won an election against the dictator. The EU did not respond to that. The Council of Europe conducted an investigation years after the murders. In the meantime, the dictator was building, consistently and methodically, modern Europe's toughest totalitarian system in Belarus.

All FSU regimes, notably that in Russia, carefully studied the approaches and methods tested by the dictator in Belarus. They did not simply study them, they also adopted the "best dictatorship practices" for their own use.

It is abundantly clear how Lukashenko's practices are currently implemented in Russia. Among other things, Russia is watching how quickly Belarus can patch up its relations with the EU after yet another, more vicious spat.

It could be said that Europe created Lukashenko, and Lukashenko created Putin's Russia.

The experience of the Belarusian dictatorship shows that after any flare-ups with the West, after putting down peaceful demonstration, putting more political prisoners into jail, someone will come forward in Europe to defend the bankrupt Belarusian regime, and appeasers would be found domestically, who would join efforts to make the EU to revert to the Realpolitik mode.

A united Europe, with active involvement by the US, would have been a guarantor of restoration, reinforcement and development of democratic values, principles, and standards in the post-Soviet region. This is necessary for maintaining the Transatlantic partnership, for FSU nations, and for Europe itself. However, this is not happening.

And now Europe is in the throes of a very real crisis of values, which will hit it, much harder than any financial, mortgage lending, or foreign exchange crisis. The essence of the crisis is precisely that the EU does not see its mission to strengthen and develop democratic values. It believes it can maintain its own institutions and values untainted and engage and trade with its undemocratic European neighbours at no cost to itself. This is a mistake.

No "Realpolitik," no amount of "engagement" and overtures towards dictators are going to create predictable, safe neighbours for Europe. Dialogue and engagement with these regimes legitimises them and lets them into the EU where it is the EU’s systems and values that corrode. Remember, there are fewer free countries in the world than five years ago.

Only a direct, honest, uncompromising assessment of the dictatorship's actions, only an honest, strong, and brave stance in response to human rights violations by oppressive and dictatorial regimes, and bold support of democratic movements should help Europe defend its values and avoid new conflicts and a real “clash of civilisations”.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Vital Rymasheuski: Regime conceals referendum’s true purpose

“The referendum may be used for reaching political goals of the incumbent regime, concealed from wide public today. The latest referendum had the main issue of prolonging Lukashenka’s term in power up until eternity as well as other issues for covering this up and hazing Belarusian citizens. I have no doubts that this time as well under the plausible and decent intents to reform the judiciary will hide other issues. It is quite possible that the issue of a new integration level will be put to the vote, which means surrendering Belarus’ sovereignty, and other anti-people changes”, - the politicians believes.

BChD’s co-chairman emphasized that for these reasons Belarusian democratic forces should take these statements seriously and get prepared.

“In general a referendum is a nation-wide campaign, and there are no serious reasons for intentionally losing it and by this showing the semblance of democracy. I doubt that the authorities would take such a crafty step, because it is an expensive event financially, and the very process of participating in a referendum means politicizing the population. May be the ruling elite has a great fear of the next elections, but the practice shows that the authorities prepare any electoral campaign as quite as possible so people do not get prematurely politicized. That is why this referendum will not be a game or a cover, but an actual political event, which has serious political goals behind it”, - Vital Rymesheuski is convinced.

We would remind that the concept of judiciary reform, which provides for the merger of general and commercial courts into a single system of general jurisdiction courts, was approved on 19 November at a meeting chaired by Lukashenka. It requires changes to be made to Belarus’ main law. The dictator ordered to develop the respective documents in ten-days’ time.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Lukashenka prepares a new «referendum»

The Constitution of Belarus will be changed.

The concept of reforming the judiciary, approved on 19 November at a meeting chaired by Lukashenka, will require changes to Belarus’ main law. The dictator ordered to develop the respective documents in two days.

It was the deputy head of Lukashenka’s administration Valer Mitskievich, who reported of the planned judiciary reformed.

In particular, according to him, the merger of general and commercial court into a single system of courts of general jurisdiction “is possible without prior re-writing the Constitution, but will require a subsequent change in the form of eliminating the mention of the Supreme Commercial Court”.

“In the meanwhile, the chapter of the main law with a number of articles to be changed may be only re-written by the means of a referendum”, - the ruler’s press-service quotes the official.

Mitskievich noted that with the merger of general and commercial courts into a single system of court of general jurisdiction a highest judicial body will be created for dealing with civil, criminal, administrative and economic cases – the Supreme Court which will merge with the Supreme Commercial Court.

“This will allow to unify the judicial practice, ensure the uniform reading and implementation of laws by all courts, facilitate the use of judiciary for citizens and organizations, eliminate the possibility of rejections of relief at law due to the wrong competency of this or that court”, - Mitskievich claimed.

At the same time commercial courts in regions are suggested to be kept as the courts of the respective specialization, having renamed them as economic courts. They will comprise the whole domain of economic relations. Apart from that other issues related to the merger get solved, in particular the composition of a panel of judges on economic cases in the Supreme Court, which will be chaired by the deputy chairman of the Supreme Court; the extension of the plenum and panel of the Supreme Court with the consideration of empowering them with credentials to consider economic cases; the creation of common bodies of judicial community, including a qualified panel of judges, who will combine the credentials of today’s separate qualification panels of general and commercial courts.

The suggested merger mechanism, in the official’s opinion, will also allow to “provide for the cohesion of the approaches to the creation of judicial systems with other member-states of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space”.

The dictator ordered to present him with the draft laws and decree before 1 December.

We would remind that the Constitution of Belarus has already been changed several times by “referendums”. This took place in 1995, 1996 and 2004. The changes concerned the official state languages, symbols, president’s powers. The latest referendum cancelled the limit on terms in office for a president. Opposition and international organizations deem all the referendums held in Belarus after 1994 rigged and do to recognize their results.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Lukashenka fears to repeat fate of Gaddafi and Assad

The ruler says it's necessary to check combat readiness of the Belarusian military forces.

He said it after the visit to the 61st fighter airbase, Interfax news agency reports.

“We will have serious tests of combat readiness of our armed forces,” Lukashenka siad.

The ruler finds it possible to modernise and restore certain samples military equipment and urged not to hurry with the decommission of the Su-27 aircraft from the Air Forces and the Air Defence Forces. He said it reminding about the Arab Spring – civil uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria.

”Do we need the Su-27 – a powerful and expensive aircraft? We have twenty of them. I say we need to think and keep these aircraft for, lets say so, some period of threat regardless of the costs,” he said.

“Taking into account the experience of the wars on the Arab curve, we shouldn't hurry to decommission some kinds of military equipment from the country's defence system,” the ruler noted.

Lukashenka was informed about combat duty procedures in the 61th fighter base and checked combat readiness of alert flight crews.

“I wanted to check if it was window-dressing to prepare an aircraft for a flight. The aircraft was ready to take off in six and a half minutes. Good work,” he said noting that the scramble time in Russia was “18 minutes, in Ukraine 15 minutes and in Poland about 15 minutes”.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Jerzy Buzek: I believe that situation in Belarus will change

A former head of the European Parliament said it at a conference in Warsaw to discuss the main issues of the EU policy.

The problems and prospects for the Eastern Partnership programme were discussed among other topics. The Ukrainian issue was given much attention. Participants of the conference agree than Ukraine could get closer to the EU in at least 10 years. The Belarusian issue wasn't discussed. Jerzy Buzek expressed his position in a comment to Radio Racyja.

“I had different plans when I headed the European Parliament for 2.5 years. I can say that most of them were fulfilled. I mean the EU single energy market, cooperation with the EU's neighbours and the EU's proper budget. The only important for me thing that didn't come true is that the situation in Belarus hasn't moved in the direction of democracy, a free market and principles of the civilized world. It wasn't achieved. But I believe it will happen,” Buzek noted.

Elzbieta Kaca, an analyst at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, says the relations between the EU and Belarus came to a deadlock.

“Sanctions were imposed on Belarus. We have no contacts on the governmental level. So, the EU support Belarusian NGOs. The EU offered Lukashenka to soften visa rules for citizens of Belarus, but there has been no response from official Minsk. The situation doesn't look optimistic from this point of view.”

The conference was held on the occasion of the forthcoming European Parliament Election.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Lukashenka: I say - goodbye

Everyone is now walking around Belarus as hungry as a wolf, the dictator believes.

Lukashenka is visiting the Keramin plant today and traditionally expresses himself on a topical subject.

Do not go running to currency exchange offices

The dictator is worried about the population buoying out foreign currency in large amounts.

“You go running to currency exchange offices and wait for some devaluation. I simply give you an advice: do not do that and do not wait”, - Lukashenka claimed on Tuesday when speaking to the worker of the Keramin public corporation, Interfax reports.

The ruler noted that the authorities have set “the main task for themselves – no to let any collapses happen”. “We can see that the situation is getting stabilized. So do not go running”, - the ruler said.

We would remind that an increased demand for foreign currency can be currently observed in Belarus. People buy out dollars and take loans in Belarusian roubles.

On privatization

Lukashenka claims that there is high interest in the privatization of Belarusian enterprises with high liquidity on the part of representatives of foreign businesses, including Russian, and the pressure that they put on the country’s leadership.

“The demand for Belarusian enterprises is enormous now. Russia would want to buy something, like they do not have anything of their own. Why? Because we have not destroyed them, and turned some into prosperous enterprises like Belaruskali, for example”, - Lukashenka claimed.

Speaking about the situation with the privatization of Belaruskali the ruler noted: “They came around (the ones willing to privatize- Interfax),and said – we want that. I say: pay 32 billion dollars and buy the whole enterprise if you will, or a part. They say – it is expensive. I say – goodbye”,- the ruler said. “They tried another way. Did not work out”, - Lukashenka stated.

He emphasized that his main task in the situation is “to protect the state and its property”.

Lukashenka also noted that “everyone was walking around Belarus as hungry as a wolf, looking where to bite – Keramin, Belarusneft, one refinery, another – we have a lot of such enterprises”. “The long for getting it, and put pressure today not because I am bad, such a dictator, but because I do not give it away”, - the ruler said. “I did not give it away to the East, neither to the West. But they want it, and they want it cheap”, - he said. “We do not agree to that. I thin, neither do you”, - the dictator claimed.

Dictatorship at enterprises

Aliaksandr Lukashenka claimed there was the necessity to put the hiring system in order. The possibility of hiring only with the recommendation from the previous place of employment is being considered.

“Many have relaxed today, saying that the president will make the employers pay the salary anyway, so they could smoke or come drunk to work. We will reform the hiring rules”, - Lukashenka pointed out.

The ruler believes that “we should bring back something like the recommendations from the previous places of employment”. “We should put that in order”, - he said, having also demanded to fully finalize the transition to a contract-based system of employment. “Everyone should have contracts, because we still have lots of people without one”, - Lukashenka noted.

According to him, “the manufacturing should be on top”. “There is no democracy here at an enterprise, there is a tough dictatorship of those, who buy your products”, - Lukashenka highlighted.

“We should put in order the hiring system in short terms, the transfers from one job to another. Like the whole world does that”, - he stated.

“Russia has sagged and we start tumbling”

Lukashenka sets the goal of looking for new markets before Belarusian manufacturers, as opposite to hoping solely for Russia.

“However hard and difficult that is, new markets should be entered. We should not pray to Russia the whole time, Russia has sagged and we start tumbling”, - he claimed.

“Of course, this is not simple, but we should fight these markets back from someone. I once said: we should run fast, there is no other way”, - the dictator emphasized.

Keramin will be 80% of state ownership

“Now 62% belong to the state. It is not enough. By mid-next year there should be 80% of the shares in state’s ownership”, - Lukashenka claimed.

The ruler claimed that once there was an attempt at this public corporation to “pocket the enterprise, arranged by certain managers”. “This is wrong, it should not be like that”, - he emphasized.

According to him, “the enterprise belongs to the people, it was created at the expense of the people”.

Speaking to the representatives of the staff, Lukashenka assumed that they were “most likely once lied to”. In this regard, he continued, he gave an order to the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus and KGB to examine the situation. “We can see that violations start emerging, that is why I demanded to get the enterprise back to the state. But not to take the shares away, but to pay the minimum price”, - Lukashenka said.

At the same time he explained: “It is not me, who needs that. I do not want for you to reprimand to in several years for not seeing this stealing”.

In the meanwhile Lukashenka deems possible the participation of private business in the privatization of state property, in managing it, including the Keramin public corporation. “If you want to buy something, everything should be by our laws”, - the ruler noted, having reminded of the procedure of agreeing the privatization process on all the levels – from employees to the head of state.

“If an owner emerges, who offers a good price, we will thing whether to sell an enterprise or not”, - Lukashenka added.

However, he claimed, “have are fed up with private businessmen”. “If there is some failure, it means the swindler, the private businessman did not do the full amount of work”, - Lukashenka said. “Private ownership is good, when he (a private businessman - Interfax) creates and builds it with his own sweat and blood. If he just takes it, there will be no use”, - the dictator claimed.

Tomorrow I’ll come to you

Aliaksandr Lukashenka stated his intent to visit a number of enterprises being modernized in the nearest time with the purpose of controlling how the government fulfills his orders.

“I will go to significant enterprises, regarding which there were orders given. It is not a president’s job, of course, but what can you do if the government does not work”, - he said.

Coming back to his recent visit to Barysaudreu, Lukashenka claimed that the personnel decisions made were cause by the fact that “they (officials - Interfax) promised, but did not deliver”.

Particularly, the ruler commented on the decision to dismiss the chairman of Minsk region executive committee Barys Batura. “Batura is not the worst governor. He was one of the best governors”, - he said, having explained that the decision on Batura’s dismissal was made due to the fact that the official failed to execute the head of state’s orders.

“He says: we will do that in a week. Where have you been for a year? They went around, designed projects…” - the dictator said.

In this regard he demanded that the chairman of Minsk city executive committee Mikalaj Ladutska warned the heads of the capital’s district administrations to rigorously fulfill the errands, including the ones on putting in order the territories under their management. “For it not to be excruciatingly painful for them, you get them together and warn”, - he said. “Warn everyone that things must be put in order. The city must be prepared for winter, garbage collected, holes fixed”, - Lukashenka pointed out.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Five days in custody for “Belarus without dictatorship”

A man from Stoubtsy was sentenced to a short term in custody for a T-shirt with the slogan “For Belarus without dictatorship”.

Leanid Smouzh was tried today in the Leninski district court in Minsk. The activist was accused of resisting police officers. The court decision was taken by judge Nadzeya Navitskaya, Radio Svaboda reports. The police officers, who detained the participant of a memorial procession to Loshytsa on November 10, gave false evidence. The activist appeared at the rally in the T-shirt “ For Belarus without dictatorship”.

Leanid Smouzh said before the rally that he didn't belong to any political party. The man said he wore the T-shirt “For Belarus without dictatorship” to protest against injustice – he cannot find a job for the last few years.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Zmitser Dashkevich sentenced to three days in jail

Zmitser Dashkevich was sentenced to three days in jail for allegedly disobeying lawful police orders after being arrested in downtown Minsk earlier on Wednesday.

The sentence was handed down by Judge Valery Yesman of the Tsentralny District Court in Minsk.

As Barys Haretski, spokesperson for the Belarusian Association of Journalists who attended the trial, told BelaPAN, during the hearing, which lasted only five minutes, police officers claimed that Mr. Dashkevich had resisted arrest by trying to sit down on the ground.

According to Mr. Haretski, Mr. Dashkevich dismissed the officers’ allegations as lies and noted that he knew well Belarus’ judicial system and did not expect to be found not guilty.

According to Mr. Dashkevich's wife, he was apprehended near the HUM department store at about 12:15 p.m. while he was collecting signatures for a petition for giving Minsk’s Lenin Street its original name of Frantsyskanskaya.

The 32-year-old Dashkevich was apparently jailed with a view to preventing him from staging any protests on the occasion of the 96th anniversary of the so-called October Revolution (Bolsheviks' coup d'etat in Russia in 1917), which is still observed in Belarus as a public holiday on November 7.

On August 28, Mr. Dashkevich was released from a prison in Hrodna after spending two years and eight months behind bars.

He was arrested in Minsk on December 18, 2010, on the eve of a scheduled large-scale post-election demonstration, for allegedly beating up two passers-by. Speaking during his trial, Mr. Dashkevich said that the incident was a provocation orchestrated by authorities and accused the two alleged victims of giving false testimony.

On March 24, 2011, he was sentenced to two years in a minimum-security correctional institution on a charge of "especially malicious hooliganism."

Mr. Dashkevich was repeatedly placed in disciplinary confinement and transferred to other prisons for allegedly violating prison rules. As a result of two trials, he had his prison term extended, and ended up in the cell-type prison in Hrodna.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Grey schemes of Lukashenka's clan

The Belarusian security services cover up the illegal business of the dictator and his inner circle.

Major general Valery Vakulchyk, who had headed the Investigation Committee, was appointed KGB chief last November. He is considered for many years to be the main aide to Lukashenka's eldest son Viktor who is in charge of all security bodies. They had worked together in the Operational and Analytical Centre, a special agency that was founded in 2008 to analyse and control the internet. Controlling the most important investigations in the KGB and prosecution bodies, Vakulchyk guaranties impunity for the ruler's people for using “grey” schemes, forsal.pl writes in the article “Lukashenka as mafioso. Security services take care of his interests”.

It helps the Belarusian authorities avoid situations that happen from time to time, when ambitious prosecutors accidentally reveal secrets of Lukashenka's family and the oligarchs close to him. The example is the case of investigator Sviatlana Baikova, who received a prison term for her excessive zeal in exposing corruption schemes on the state border. Customs frauds is not the only activity of the Belarusian authorities. Another Lukashenka's son, Dmitry, who formally heads the Presidential Sports Club, controls Lukashenka's $8-12m fund that apart from official subsidies from the state budget receives income from gambling, arms trade, cigarette business and “fines” from businessmen.

The oligarchs loyal to Lukashenka – Yury Chizh, Anatoly Ternavsky, Viktor Shevtsov, whose Trustbank was used by Saddam Husen to launder money from illegal oil sales, arms dealer Vladimir Peftiyev, whose firm employed Viktar Lukashenka's wife Lilia – help lobby Lukashenka's interests. Shevtsov was reported to have been arrested for hiding a part of the common income, but he returned to the ranks after paying a compensation. KGB headed by Vakulchyk and other persecutory services look for similar cases in Lukashenka's circle or, in other words, guard the money of the Belarusian ruler.


Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Small businessmen forum: Market vendors won't work starting December 1

More than 400 small businessmen from all over Belarus adopted a harsh resolution.

It was their response to Piotr Prakapovich's statement, who said that market vendors wouldn't be allowed to sell goods without supplementary documents starting December 1.

Charter97.org learnt it from Anatoly Shumchanka, the head of the public organisation Perspective.

“We've held a forum today. More than 400 people attended it. The hall was full of anxious people. An official from the Ministry of Trade appeared in the middle of the meeting to answer our questions. We adopted a resolution and decided to hold another forum on November 25. All people present said they wouldn't work under the proposed conditions starting December 1,” one of the leaders of the small businessmen movement said.

Anatoly Shumchanka emphasised that people wouldn't work and pay taxes and other duties.

“It is Prakapovich who is responsible for it. He is leading the country to another crisis. If his statements are adopted by the government, market vendors will not work starting December 1. We also decided that small businessmen wouldn't pay any duties until the situation became clear. We are going to apply to the Eurasian Economic Court to cancel the technical regulations,” the Perspective leader noted.

We remind that small businessmen held the forum “Customs Union's Technical Regulations. Belarusian Issue”. The meeting was devoted to the problems of the Customs Union's technical regulations on safety of light industry products.

The event was carried out following the statement on Belarusian deputy prime minister Piotr Prakapovich, who said on October 31 that starting December 1 market vendors would be prohibited to sell goods without the documents confirming their quality and safety in accordance with the Customs Union's technical regulations on safety of light industry products.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Forsal: Minsk tells tall tales to IMF

Poland is sure the Belarusian authorities have little chance of getting a loan from the IMF.

Though all previous privatisation campaigns failed, Minsk continues to make new attempts. Belarusians don't trust the authorities any more and sell unstable Belarusian rubles, Polish economic website Forsal.pl reports.

In its efforts to receive western money Belarus resumes the old rhetoric counting on acceleration of privatisation. Minsk races against time while people fear a new devaluation of the national currency.

The more the authorities assure that no devaluation is possible, the less ordinary Belarusians believe them. People exchange rubles for dollars and euros. The proportion of foreign currency deposits of individuals rose from 62% to 66% from July 1 to October 1. Belarusians bought foreign currency worth 320 million dollars only in September. The fall of the national currency affects its stability. The Belarusian ruble has never been so weak.

One dollar costs 9,170 rubles now, which is 7% more than at the beginning of the year. It's a slight growth, but economists say it resembles the situation two years ago, when attempts to delay the devaluation led to imbalance in the currency market and a rush to currency exchange offices. The government had to adjust the exchange rate increasing it daily from 5,712 to 8,680 rubles per dollar. Even the pro-governmental newspaper Respublika remembers it however laying the blame on the problems with the US federal budget.

In this situation Minsk begins to apply for foreign aid that supposes receiving a loan from Russia-controlled Anti-Crisis Fund of the Eurasian Economic Community (ACF) or from the International Monetary Fund. The first variant is easier, but it will doom Minsk to further dependence on the Kremlin. The second variant implies carrying out real reforms. Delegations of both organisations are expected to visit the Belarusian capital by the end of the month. Belarus counts more on the IMF loan. Minsk already cooperated with this organisation. Belarus received 3.5bn dollars in 2009-2010 from this source and simplified customs procedures, reduced taxes and simplified company registration procedures.

Some promises can be heard now. Deputy minister of economy Dzmitry Halukhou, who belongs to a group of young educated technocrates, spoke about changes in priorities of state-owned companies from quantity to quality of production. It would be a revolution, because the country's industrial giants still work by the Soviet rule “the more. the better”.

In other words, two new refrigerators with defects cost more than one fridge that works well. The Belarusian authorities published a list of 85 companies ready for privatisation. Among them are the Mozyr oil refinery and the BATE plant, the owner of the same-named football club. However, all previous privatisation campaigns failed due to lack of western investments.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Lukashenka: USA was created by freedom-loving bandits

The US was created by bandits who thought only about their purses.

He made this statement at a meeting with students of Arkadz Kuliashou Mahilou State University, Rosbalt news agency reports.

“This country, America, is perhaps slightly more than 300 years old. You know what a nation it is. You know how it was formed,” Lukashenka said. By America the graduate of Mahilou Pedagogical Institute (now university) probably means the USA rather than the continent.

Lukashenka said the western countries often criticised him and he sometimes regretted his critical remarks addressing his critics. He recalled, in particular, his recent remarks about US president Barack Obama, whom he called a descendant of former black slaves obsessed with the idea of exceptionalism of the American nation and imposing his will on the rest of the world. “You know who crossed the ocean. They were bandits, but they loved freedom. They didn't want to know anything except for their purses. They only wanted to go to a bank (or where they go in such cases) and take money to build a house and something around the house,” Lukashenka said about the European settlers who founded the USA.

He added that about 50 million people in the US “are dying in a ditch” without medical aid. This terrible social injustice is impossible in post-Soviet Belarus, the head of state is sure. He reminds that the US authorities don't care about social problems, including the healthcare reform proposed by Obama. Speaking about the reform that provoked disputes in the US Congress Lukashenka said: “Obama raised this question about medical aid to over 50 million of Americans dying in a ditch, because no one will come to you if you are ill. He said the right thing about health insurances. Did it pass? No, it didn't.”

We remind that Aliaksandr Lukashenka mentioned “slave roots” of the American president commenting on the US policy towards Syria in early October: “Obama surprises me. Not so long ago black people were slaves in America, and now they talk about some kind of exceptionalism. I never thought that a person, who originated from these poor groups, would be able to use such rhetoric in the world. This is inadmissible and extremely dangerous.”

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau

Lukashenka: European home is bursting at the seams

Despite globalization future belongs to sovereign states and individual nations.

Lukashenka made the statement as he met with students of the Mogilev State A. Kuleshov University on 17 October, BelTA has learned.

In his speech the head of state remarked that the mankind is living through a global shift of civilizations. The laws of social relations and moral standards that once looked unshakable gradually lose their power. “The information revolution has disintegrated all the space and time barriers. Economic processes across the globe reached a supranational level a long time ago. The man now can reproduce the greatest of all secrets – the birth of life – and can clone living beings,” he said.

The globalization of manufacturing and capital entails very serious transformations in the spiritual sphere. “We see centuries of moral foundations gradually crumble. We see moral anomalies become standards. National and cultural differences between nations disappear. A global English-language neoculture based on American standards and examples is born,” noted the head of state.

“The question most often asked today is whether sovereign states, individual nations and peoples will be able to survive for a long time in the modern world or whether they will have to become a thing of the past?” added Lukashenka.

He remarked that the road of the Belarusians towards statehood had been long. “The independent state of our own gives us freedom and freedom is what every person and every nation strives for, freedom to live in our own God-given land, freedom to choose our own way, freedom to honor our own traditions, our past, freedom to control our present and build our future,” said the head of state.

Lukashenka pointed out that “even in the so-called united Europe the desire of nations to attain self-determination has not waned”. As an example he mentioned Scotland, Belgium, and Spanish Catalonia. “Virtually no European country is satisfied with results of the construction of the common European home, which, as everyone knows, is bursting at the seams,” he said.

“This is why from the point of view of individual nations and sovereign states I may call myself a historical optimist,” noted Alexander Lukashenko. “Despite all kinds of globalization the notions of Motherland, Fatherland, the independence of one’s own land is still strong from my point of view”.

“Belarus has existed at the crossroads of Eastern and Western traditions for centuries and has accumulated unique spiritual experience. Our national idea is peace, accord, mutual aid in our large united family named the Belarusian people. We are accustomed to earning our living in our own land. We are kind-hearted to everyone, who lives alongside us and who comes with peace,” stressed Lukashenka.

Commentator Aliaksandr Krasnapeutsau