Chinese New Year :: Charter'97 :: News

Or repeated address to the nation of Alexander Lukashenko with changes and amendments

My dear countrymen! Not bad for a start. He immediately pointed out that we cost him dearly. However, his slyness is evident – he tried to show as if he loves us indeed. In fact, he should have started fairly: "My extremely poor fellow-tribesmen!"

Once in a year I get a unique opportunity to address you during those special minutes, when you gather around one table in the company of your relatives, friends and loved ones. One more lies – if we saw him just once in a year we would feel way better. But every time you get together with relatives, friends and loved ones around one table – he shows up on a TV screen: with skis or a hockey stick; with tears or screams; with Milosevich or Qaddafi.

Wholeheartedly greeting you all on this New Year night, I frankly thank you for your decent labor for the common good of your homeland. Regrettably, we haven`t been laboring for the good of our homeland for 8 years now… However, if he changed his last name for "Homeland", he didn`t lie. But then he had to say "your homeland". So, it turns out that he lied anyway.

I am thankful to everyone, who`s working in agriculture and industry, who are engaged in uneasy sphere of entrepreneurship, who glorifies their country in science, culture and sport, who ensure the development of a healthy and educated nation… Average salary in the country is below $100, in Latvia - $230, Czech Republic - $400, Poland - $460. So, we may conclude that presidents of other East-European states are way more grateful to their nations, speaking nothing of Western Europe and USA.

On the New Year eve one should not read out reports on the work accomplished. But he will do it right away.

First of all, let us mention things, which we don`t have. How about we mention that, which we do have?.

We have neither internal nor external armed conflicts. and Yuri Zakharenko, Anatoly Krasovsky, Viktor Gonchar and Dmitry Zavadsky died in a car accident? Or may be they had been slain by the camouflaged thugs, who fulfilled the government`s order?. Our people don`t wake up in the middle of the night from blasts and our children and grandchildren don`t shed blood in "disputed areas". Will our children and grandchildren not shed blood in Chechnya after Belarus joins Russia? Our by saying what he said he rather meant Vitya and Dima Lukashenko and their descendants?

We have no foes and no territorial disputes with anyone. All foes live inside the country, while all territorial disputes come down to the disputes over the territory of freedom for the Belarusian citizens.

We`ve got no religious and national strife. We are living in peace, friendship and agreement. And everyone is free to choose his temple. The Orthodox temple, he should have added. Other temples are shut by the newly amended version of the religious law, which distinguishes the "dominating role of the Orthodox church". I would add the adjective "Russian" to the word combination "Orthodox church", for all other Orthodox churches are also made equal to sects now. Meantime, the number of non-Orthodox perishes in Belarus has long and by far exceeded the Orthodox ones. This could be one reason why Aleksei and Filaret processed the text of the law so strenuously.

During festive Christmas days I`m especially pleased to speak about that. How about God`s final judgment? Will you be pleased to say that there?

Despite all false prophesies and direct confrontation of ill-wishers, we have no economic recession. Our progress in economy isn`t known only to penguins in Antarctica. The birth of the "Belarusian economic miracle" with Petr Prokopovich`s face made all world`s stock markets tremble, while the shares of the "Hoiniki factory of plaster candlesticks of Mikhail Lomonosov" cost now more than $100 per unit.

Everyone who feel likes working in our country, does work and makes money. 37,7% Belarusians have incomes under the minimal living budget. 6,1% of the country`s population earn less than 45,000 rubles per one family member.

Our houses are warm, lit and cozy. Over the past 3 years heating and hot water went 49,4 times up in price, gas – 23,4 times, wastes` disposal – 16,7 times, cold water – 7,5 times. Apartment rent soared by 36 times.

We don`t lose control over the problems, which emerged under the negative influence of the world economy`s troubles. We don`t lose control only because the world`s economy cares as much for ours as a cow for high egg-laying efficiency.

Our society isn`t split into a bunch of super-rich ones and millions of poor. Sure. And it is ordinary workers who are moving around the city on 50thsd bucks cars, while engineers and teachers buy apartments, costing $1000 per one square meter.

The rust of corruption doesn`t destroy the society. Of course, not! What corruption can be there in a country, which belongs to one man? Well, we had three corrupt persons – journalists Ivashkevich, Markevich and Mozheiko – but ever since they got sentenced, corruption evaporated at once.

Finally, the world has never heard such a notion as "refugee from Belarus". Visa versa, every year there grows the number of those, willing to become our citizens. While 38,3% of all Belarusians wish to change permanent residence for abroad, among those aged 18-29 the percentage is 63,4%. According to the National Science Academy, every year Belarus is forsaken by 15 doctors of sciences and 35-50 professors.

Dear friends! He must be addressing now Sheiman, Konoplev, Sivakov, Naumov and Pavlichenko.

The previous year 2002 turned out diverse, instructive, hard but rich for the good acts for us. The words "rich for the good acts" sound particularly cynical. Although, if one inserts in between the words "good" and "acts" the word "criminal"…

Altogether we tried to live and work honestly, fruitfully and nicely. We raised the level of education, medicine, science and culture. Erected new bridges and highways of the world level, gasified towns and villages, produced movies and won sport medals. We started to construct the National library – a symbol of the enlightened Belarus. "honestly, fruitfully and nicely" don`t need any additional comments. And we never laugh over sickness. Bridges and highways around Minsk don`t convince us of a soon rise in the level of welfare.

However, the present-day condition of culture is best described by the medicine. Rumors are spreading that Alexander Lukashenko married Irina Abelskaya, whom he had recently appointed head of the country`s Medical Commission, while her mother – the Minister of healthcare.

The past year formed the basis for the future well-being of our nation and each of us separately. If that`s an address to Sheiman, Konoplev and Co, then it sounds truly indeed, while if he implied "our people", then it only sounds cynical and insincere.

This year will be archived in the history of Belarus as the creative one. When we created ice palaces and a covered soccer field.

However, the main positive outcome of the year is that we lived it through, just as previous, in complete peace and accord. You start especially appreciating that when you hear the news of wars, catastrophes and human casualties, emanating daily from all corners of the earth. Right you are. Seasonal torrents didn`t wash away Brest, Minsk hills never erupted with lava, while our own "Shuttle" didn`t crush over Polesiye forest… Why on earth should we be so thankful to the current regime for the absence of war? Isn`t it them who are trying hard to incite war at once? The only ones, who deserve gratitude for the lack of combat actions, are Belarusian opposition.

Permanent civil peace, public safety and country`s security have always been and still remain key priorities of our politics. They remain your top priorities because they require absolutely no expenditures on state`s behalf – nobody attacks Belarus nor plans to do so. If your priorities had been raising people`s standard of living and economic boom – we could probably thank you for at least something.

We are not worth a brass farthing if we lose this cementing power – our unity, for a divided and split nation will not endure the trials of time and destiny. "We are not worth a brass farthing" really sounds as some self-criticism at last. However, the warning of a "divided nation" is simply ridiculous. When asked "Do you approve of the current economic policy of the government?" 20,2% respondents answer positively, while 55,9% - negatively. Is that not a division?

When inquired whether "the state of affairs in the country is going along the right path?" 26,6% Belarusians answer "right" and 54% - "wrong". Still no disunity?

As President I once again confirm the firmness of our policy, aimed at strengthening Belarus` state sovereignty, equal union with brotherly Russia, maintaining good neighboring and mutually beneficial relations with the international partners. Equal union with another country doesn`t at all imply introduction of common currency, and so any claims about "strengthening state sovereignty" are mere nonsense.

Distinguished countrymen! (No comments)

On this evening, when we are looking each other in the eyes, most of us think of an ordinary human happiness… Good joke. He is peering into the screen of a TV prompter.

It`s formula is simply and universal. Only our industrious work is a prerequisite of our future flourishing and, as a result, happiness! "Arbeit macht frei!" Labor liberates, once said Adolf Hitler and his words remained forever over the gateway to the "Aushvits" concentration camp.

The state, on its behalf, will do its best to make sure that every Belarusian national could find his place under the sun and live decently in his home and his country. Some impersonal "state" will do. And this state will also answer for the flops in politics and economy, while president, government and local authorities have absolutely nothing to do with that.

New two thousand and third year is just around the corner. Here we are, the first word of truth.

We proclaimed it to be the year of increased country`s welfare. Together we will provide order and comfort at places of our work, life and recreation. We have to leave to our children and grandchildren a clean and beautiful Belarus. Didn`t quite get what he meant by "leave". Sounds like he`s gonna resign.

But there can be no order and coziness without the purity of thoughts, kindheartedness and nobility in souls. One can start weeping and forgive at once all 8 lost years, lived under the current regime… That resembles a Nobel laureate`s for peace speech after the awarding ceremony.

So I wish you to become worthy children of our native and beloved Belarus, for she is our greatest treasure. The man is gradually turning nationalist.

Let the year to come bring happy childhood to the little ones, joy from labor to the adults, spring of soul to the old ones, love and tenderness to our women. Let it be so!
Let your house be the place, where they always wait for you and love you. Let this be true, too.

Let the shadow of mutual misunderstanding and distrust gets never cast upon your life. Let!
While hope and faith will make you strong before any life tests. In original there`s also the word "love". Doesn`t matter…

I genuinely hope that the thread of spiritual unity, mutual encouragement and compassion will bind our hearts together into one. "thread of spiritual unity" is too much for me. Nobody would believe me if I said who told that phrase.

Let us always feel as one friendly Belarusian family. Again must be speaking to his sons Vitya and Dima.

I wish you all health and luck, dear friends well, again Sheiman, Konoplev, Sivakov, Naumov and Pavlichenko.
Happy New Year! Thanks, man! See ya tomorrow on TV!

P.S. Yakubovich once again let him down with the text, as if he had been composing a farewell speech for Vatsav Gavel. Nevermind…

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