Opinions & Interviews
Lukashenko: We need to brace up to preserve the country
MINSK, 25 August (BelTA) – It is necessary to mobilize ourselves to preserve the country. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement after a conference held on 25 August to discuss the operation of Belarusian State University, BelTA has learned.
“No matter who runs this university, it is necessary to shield it from unnecessary external influence. The university must develop as it should. Not only in compliance with the laws of Belarus, but also in line with its internal laws. It is unacceptable to interfere with the university’s affairs and try to create a privileged position for someone,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
At the same time, he noted that the university should stick to the government policy. “I want you to hear me. This is a state-run higher education institution. Therefore, whether you like it or not, the government policy should be clearly observed here. I will no longer persuade anyone the way I did before. You are smart people. You saw what happened, what is happening. We need to get mobilized in order to go through this period. How long will it last? Maybe two, maybe three years. Nobody knows. Neither you nor I know this. Therefore, we need to stand united if we want to get past it. This is how the situation is unfolding. I don’t know if it’s good or bad. On the one hand, it’s good. On the other, it’s bad,” the president said.
“We need to get mobilized to preserve the country,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.
He remarked that the current situation is quite good and there is no catastrophe. Particularly in economy and other spheres. Nobody prevents Belarus from operating on the huge Russian market the way they did in the past. Shipments to China are on the rise.
The head of state drew attention to the importance of a gradual change of generations. Poor ideological work was also mentioned. “The year 2020 cut off everything. One can say we live in a different country now. But there must be movement from the bottom to the top. The Belarus President Administration is catastrophically underperforming in this regard. I say it sincerely yet another time. They lack a system. An ideology,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “This is why complaints can be formulated. Including complaints about him [the rector of Belarusian State University], the administration of the university. There are plenty of problems. But we should also see our own shortcomings. This is why Igor Petrovich [Sergeyenko, Head of the Belarus President Administration], get together and think about how we are going to recover from the existing situation.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko continued talking about work with young people and mentioned the role of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM). He stressed that people should be attracted to this organization with deeds, not words. “The BRSM should get involved in some serious actions. They should be involved in important matters. And these matters should affect interests of students. Then they will go to join BRSM,” he said. “It is necessary to build a system. If there is a system, it will work.”
Speaking about work in higher education institutions, the president stressed that the availability of differing points of view is always important but various issues should be discussed calmly, without attacking each other. “We must not break each other’s ribs in this situation. Ribs of our people at that. Not enemies,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
“This is why let’s be more accurate. And we will see that we need to preserve our country. You and I have built it after all. It doesn’t matter whether it is good or bad. It is the way we have built it. And trust me there is no other country like that. Just don’t crush and break it from within. Otherwise, we will be enslaved and ruled by the people you know. No, we are not a huge country but a very important one. You know where we are. Look anywhere and you will see ‘Belarus, Belarus, Belarus’. At all the crossroads. Since we have managed to build the country, let’s preserve it. And everyone has to do something to this end. Do whatever you can. I don’t ask too much. Do everything you can do in your place. If everyone does their best, we will be twice as rich,” he stressed.
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