2008: year of crisis and hopes

This year has put many things in their places. Everyone has demonstrated what they are worth of, their abilities. Well-known Belarusians evaluate the results of this year in a different way, but still they agree that we are standing on the threshold of great changes.

Andrei Sannikov, one of the leaders of “European Belarus” campaign:

One prefers to remember only good things in the end of the year, and there were enough of that in the expiring year. I think that the main result of the year was reinforcement of our independence, and in this connection I would like to recall primarily that the departing year was the year of the BNR’s 90th anniversary. It is a significant date in the history of the Belarusian state, which couldn’t be ignored even by on-staff propagandists of the regime; and for Belarusians inside the country and all over the world it has become a impulse for greater appreciation of the value of independence.

Undoubtedly, one should note that in the expiring year all imprisoned on political grounds were released. I hope that next year we will achieve complete freedom for them.

In 2008 the Belarusian nation responded to the “pseudo-elections” game of the regime honourably, and simply refused to take part in it, though both the authorities and some European politicians emphatically offered to take part in the electoral farce. I think that over this year people have come to understand more clearly the absurdity of the Belarusian regime, and next year I expect positive changes in Belarus. I would like to wish everyone all the best wishes, health, happiness and fulfilment of European desires.

Leanid Zaika, famous economist:

Year 2008 was splendid, but ... the last. For example, like 1940 or 1941. Why? Easy life has ended. Difficulties have begun since November: exports to Russia fell by 14 per cent, it affected foreign markets. We are losing 15-20 per cent of our foreign markets. The stage is lack of money.

Government asks money from any possible source – though they should have addressed Bill Gates or Abramovich , but they are asking the Russian premier. We used to have economy of demand, a theoretical model, now we have economy of applicant. A new model! For an unknown reason, we are always asking for 2 billions – it is a psychological mystery. To be honest, we dared to ask Moscow for 4 billions.

The main thing is that everyone has become interested in economy at the end of the year. It is often spoken about reforms. I am scared, too. Turn your attention, no one is able to say ‘liberalisation’ correctly. Local directors say it too fast, I even feel pity for them. They pronounce it as ‘libization’, with very strange phonetic distortion.

2009 is going to be a very interesting year, where people of my profession, economists, will be brought to the forefront. I propose to call it Year of Great Economist.

Yauhen Afnahel, youth leader:

There were many events in the outgoing year that influenced the situation in Belarus.

I was disappointed with some opposition leaders, who decided to play according to the rules of the authorities. It concerns running in the so called parliamentary elections and the current events. Attempts of some opposition politicians to save the regime are strange and incomprehensible.

Actions of European politicians, urging to recognize the Belarusian regime and cooperate with it, can’t make a good impression. It is the first time in history when Europe has had a chance to become a dictatorship-free continent. It just needs to stop supporting and financing the Belarusian regime. We can do the rest. We can do it because we know we are able to make strong steps. The outgoing year has shown this.

Year 2008 is a year of beginning of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, begging of systematic work to promote the European idea and gather signatures for Belarus’ joining the European Union. The European idea is popular among the Belarusians and it is the only alternative to irresponsible policy of the authorities.

An important achievement is that for the first time after many years none of opposition activists celebrates New Year at home, not in prison. Release of political prisoners is a result of street actions on Solidarity Days every 16th day of month and international pressure over the regime. But one shouldn’t forget 11 people, convicted for participation in a protest rally of entrepreneurs. Stopping of repressions against oppositionist is one of the main tasks for the next year.

Irina Khalip, journalist:

“The main thing for me in the departing year was that Alyaksandr Kazulin and other political prisoners were released, and I am very happy that they would be able to spend the New Year night at home, among those they love. At the same time, it was surprising to me that many were hurrying to draw a line under that, as if the story with political prisoners was over. It seems that everybody has forgotten too quickly what Alyaksandr Kazulin had experienced the things I wouldn’t wish even Lukashenka’s true dogs and their master to meet with: Kazulin was deprived not only of freedom, but of the dearest person. And Iryna was deprived the right to spend the last days with her husband. But now, after all circles of hell, Kazulin is at large, Kim and Parsyukevich too, but is that all?.. Thanks to everyone, everyone is free?..

I hope that the Belarusian society has imprinted in their memory everything that the political prisoners had passed through, and won’t forget to add their sufferings to the bill. And it is not the personal bill of Kazulin and Kim: it is our common bill, and we must demand full payment.

Besides, I am very pleased that Emir Kusturica with his No Smoking Orchestra has finally visited Minsk: earlier in all their European tours they avoided Minsk, as if our country is not preset at the map of Europe at all. Three years ago I went to Vilnius with the purpose to attend the concert of Kusturica and his orchestra. And now we had a chance to spend two hours in the company of really free people, who are playing free music. I am convinced that those who were not simply listening to this music, but saw No Smoking Orchestra’s performance, won’t be able to live in slavery calmly any more. Freedom is like a virus, it is easy to catch it in the society of free people. And Kusturica and orchestra’s concert was two hours of absolute freedom. It is not a trifle for today’s Belarus.

Valyantsin Stefanovich, a well-known human rights activist:

From the point of view of human rights activists it was a highly controversial year. I would say, a hard one, though we all witnessed release of all political prisoners of Belarus. And this year is different from others as for today there are no people in prisons, who are kept there on political grounds. It has certainly become an achievement of our civil society, including political parties, public associations, human rights watchdogs, who pushed for release of prisoners of conscience.

On the other hand, we cannot claim that the situation has changed drastically, and irreversible unstoppable democratization process started in the country. The regime is rather solid-cast, the society is under control, and basic civil rights are minimized. The field of freedom remains still very insignificant.

In advance of the New Year eve I would like to express careful optimism. We all together should still go to a lot of trouble to make 2009 the crucial year of in our history, so that the field of freedom expanded all over the country.

Mikalai Khalezin, head of Free Theatre:

What about Belarus Free Theatre, it was the best year in its history. We had a triumphal tour in the US and England, we won Freedom to Create Prize and Europe Theatre Prize, the so called Oscar for theatres. On the other hand, we were constantly meeting the actions of the authorities that can’t be understood: dismissals of actors, expulsion from universities, deportation of our foreign actresses from Belarus.

What about the general situation in the Belarusian culture, new names in Belarusian musical and literary circles inspire and give a hope that other arts will progress, too.

Speaking about the situation in the country, in my view, development of youth movements can be noticed. Unfortunately, party leaders do not follow the example of the youth. Most of political prisoners this year were young people. We can be proud of them, they allow us be optimistic about the future of our country. Hopes for changes can be connected with these people.

I wish the Belarusians to think more next year, because only reflexion can help to take right informed decisions. We will face a difficult period and we must meet any situation head-on. I don’t mean crisis. We should be thankful to the crisis as it puts everything at right places forming a logical chain of events. We return to civilization and can say for sure that epoch of copperfields in economy has ended.

Viktar Harbachou, one of the leaders of entrepreneurs:

Year 2008 was a year of struggle for entrepreneurs. It began with protest rallies on January 10 and 21 and ended with protest rallies on December 10 and 15. In means that there was no progress for entrepreneurs this year, the state didn’t give due attention to improvement of legislation. On the contrary, laws became stricter.

Decree #703, recently signed by Lukashenka, can’t be considered to be a victory or an achievement. It is a result of the crisis, first of all. The authorities feel that the crisis, protest rallies and huge unemployment rate can bring negative results. And again, decree 703 didn’t soften, but even tightened some sanctions for a certain part of entrepreneurs.

Year 2008 was a year of consolidation and a year of struggle of entrepreneurs for their rights. In spite of ambitions of some entrepreneurs, our structures are uniting. Everyone understands that we can win by joint efforts. I think, year 2009 will be the same, because January, February and March will make the Belarusians to realize what the consequences of laws and Lukashenka’s decrees are. Main struggle is ahead. If one thinks we will end with it, he is mistaken.

Zmitser Bandarenka, Charter’97 coordinator:

To my mind, the year 2008 in Belarus has become a year when new leaders appeared on the political stage. Today Zmitser Dashkevich, Artur Finkevich, Yauhen Afnagel, Zmitser Barodka and Andrei Kim are acting in full force now. Today they are not just young men; they are leaders which opinion is respected by many Belarusians, and which actions define the position of the democratic forces.

To my mind, the year 2008 was the year of lost opportunities for the “old opposition”. Participation of the heads of the Political Council of the Democratic Forces in the games of other people has caused the situation when their opinion is no longer taken into account both inside the country and abroad. Mistakes in the strategy have caused weakening of their position. But it is encouraging that a generation of new, decisive, daring, and at the same time highbrow leaders, is growing.

At various international sites this year has become a year of two Belarusian brands, very similar, but very noticeable. 2008 is the year of Belarusian “Free Theatre” and BATE football club. These two Belarusian teams have one thing in common: they are headed by vivid personalities that aim to create teams of vivid personalities too.

Success of the Free Theatre and BATE, to my mind, show that the time of dictatorship is coming to an end, as only vivid personalities can be leaders internationally, meet challenges and crises and win, but not bureaucrats, who are ready to fulfill any orders no matter how absurd they are.