Artsiom Radzkou: Why ban white-red-white flag?

A defender of the Belarus national football team is proud of the Belarusian language.

Artsiom Radzkou, a member of the national team, a former BATE defender and now a player of Gençlerbirliği (Turkey), who taught Belarusian to Renan Bressan, talked to by.tribuna.com.

The football player is proud of the Belarusians who speak Belarusian.

“I am proud of Belarus when I hear the Belarusian language. When I hear something in Belarusian on TV or on the radio, I understand that we have something that differs us from others. It's very pleasant to hear someone in the street speaking Belarusian. But I am not ready to use the native language in everyday life. I envy (in a good sense of the word) such people and their courage. There's a rather negative attitude to Belarusian-speaking people in our country. Many say they are mad. It's wrong. We should be proud of our country. A little... Every day. Maybe, it can make people happy. Many don't understand we have many really good things – roads, buildings... I came to Russia and saw a skyscraper and slums and dirt just near it... It catches the eye. We don't have such contrasts,” he said.

The football player says what he thinks about the white-red-white flag.

“I don't like speculation on the issue. I don't know history well to say unambiguously which of the flags is right. I don't want the state flag to divide people. Some will say they are for the white-red-white flag, but others will say they are for the red and green one. It's wrong. Why not allow two flags? It's wrong to ban one of them.

I agree that people should know their history. Perhaps, I need it more than others. The time came when the question what the nation we are began to interest me. Maybe it happened after I visited other countries... For example, Turkish children sing the national anthem two times a day. We don't have such a thing. You begin to think and analyse something,” Radzkou said.

The sportsman says he doesn't sing the anthem when he plays for the national team.

“I don't sing, though I know the words. Singing the anthem is one thing, but having a good attitude to your country is another thing. You don't sing the anthem, so you must be executed? That's wrong. You sing, so you should get a medal? That's wrong, too. Maybe throwing a paper into a rubbish bin is more patriotic than singing the anthem,” he said.