Could That Be The Same Posokhov? :: Charter'97 :: News

When being the presidential aide Sergei Posokhov had numerously lauded the regime and its methods of governance. However, when he found himself far from his previous place of work, he changed his mood for an opposite.

Recently the Russian web-site “Kremlin.org” allocated his article “Fall in integration rates ushers in decadence in the Belarusian economy”. Let’s take a look at it and compare against what he used to say before. In an interview, published by “Narodnaya Volya” on April 4, 2001 the man said the following: “The time of the protest passions in Belarus has come to an end. Now there’s a normal political process underway”.

However, now we read at the Russian site: “Let me tell you that it is so unfortunate that the Belarusian society takes no part in decision-making, the decisions’ practical fulfillment, nor expert evaluation… The Belarusian elite isn’t involved in the process of elaborating and passing decisions. One day we will have to answer what kind of a state we built. Will there be the administrative governance, commanded by one person, or rather the civil society?” Strange as it sounds, but both excerpts belong to the same author.

In an interview to “Sovetskaya Belorussiya” in the year 2001 Posokhov said: “I met with many Italian politicians and they were all greatly impressed, almost shocked, by our system of social provision, education and healthcare. They couldn’t believe their ears that something of this kind can exist. A lot of what’s being done in our country, and I’m not exaggerating, remains an unattainable dream for the Italians”. (“Sovetskaya Belorussiya” of January 10, 2001).

The Russian site contains the following statement:

“Recently the president awarded one of the 70 year old locksmiths, who used to work for the defense industry. He is indeed a unique worker. However, the staff, which accompanied the delegation all the way to the man’s working place, showed that the man works in dirty clothes, unheated workshop, manufacturing machinery for the space industry (!). Today the industrial premises in Belarus have no central heating in them.”

Can such a condition of workers be a dream for Italians? Or may be in his conversation with the Italian guests Mr.Posokhov boasted of our achievements beyond measure?

When reading the afore-mentioned lines, one could wonder whether one and the same person could say such totally contradictory things. However, something similar happens to many former officials. Why on earth do they keep silent, when being in power?