Labour Russia
on the Net

The Parliamentary election has been announced resulting in a new political situation. The ball is now on the opposition side. It is crucial therefore, for the political forces struggling against Lukashenko totalitarian regime to find a decent response.

I never hoped that negotiations between the powers and opposition may become a reality. If we analyze the domestic and foreign policy of President Lukashenko since his coming into office, we can make only one conclusion. He doesn’t care about the Beelorussian state. He recognizes it only with himself as part of the state. Without his own Presidency the destiny of Belorus and its people presents no interest for A.Lukashenko. He just doesn’t care.

In 1996, the minions came to power. They are obsessed with only one idea: to keep power as long as they can, using all possible means. The target justifies the means. Power, and only power! Regrettably, while witnessing the strengthening of the authoritarian regime with the underlining lawlessness and violation of human rights, and ignoring existing economic regularities, we can make only one conclusion. The nation, society, economy, and industry are coming into a dead-end.

On the eve of election we have to state that the powers, Mr. Lukashenko, and the king’s men, have done nothing for the state consolidation and economic development. More importantly, they have done nothing for future development and improving living standards of the people.

In 1994, the people gave Mr. Lukashenko their confidence in advance. It was necessary to carry out complex economic and social reforms in order to form a basis for a modern state and society, and to establish indispensable new economic realities. One cannot make progress with all the rest moving backwards. The official policy of that period, especially that of 1996-2000, is indeed retrospective, a backward motion. The powers did not have a political will to lead the country into the future. Mr. Lukashenko has not become a reformer. And could never become one due to his abilities, his nature, his skills and perception of basic regularities of public development. In case he stays in office, having the parliamentarians who can be only obedient and obsequious , and serve the powers instead of the people, Belarus will drop out of the world community, or even disappear from the maps as a nation.

It is a pity that some Belarus citizens are satisfied with this course of events. The people of Belarus has deserved a right to be citizens of a sovereign, independent and prosperous state. I maintain it has deserved it. All of us living for the future, rather then the past, whatever might be our attitude towards it, must work hard in order to bring to power those who cherish the ideals of National independence, statehood, and social justice. These ideals must be put higher than individual ambitions and wealth.

Mr. Lukashenko, who is able to psychologically influence the public, is exposed to reverse pressure, Probably, at present he is surrounded by those who helped him develop a hypertrophied obsession with, among all, the idea to come to power in the Kremlin.

I couldn’t believe it, as I normally stick to the conclusions well supported by logic. However, after my talks with the “court” officials I had to recognize the fact. It turns out, that Belarus became a hostage of some, at times distorted, intentions of the country’s leader. That is why so little attention has been paid to the reforms in the economy and industry, developing of the Belorussian economy, statehood and national development.

Let us take economy and industry, including the agricultural production. The investment policy has always been given top priority as a guarantee of future development and stability in the economic and social life. I believe that the main subject a leader must work on is creating attractiveness of the Belarussian economy and industry, forming domestic investment foundations, effective investment policy. This is the only forward looking strategy.

Why did the Soviet Union collapse and why did the Soviet rule lose the competition ? The reason is not to be found in Yeltsin, Kravchuk, or Shushkevich. The Bjelovezhsky agreements is just a small final element of the accomplished fact. The reason is in poor labor productivity and lack of economic competitiveness. Many people realize it quite clearly. Mr. Lukashenko had neither willingness, nor skills and time to deal with this critical challenge. One cannot update technology and production, and improve labor productivity without investments.

Investment attractiveness stems out of governmental policies. A state which bluntly violates human rights, which makes laws for itself and enforces them, which has no respect to manufacturers and provides no guarantees of the capital return can hardly be attractive.

Belarus used to gave a substantial industrial and labor resource. However, time and indifference of the powers is has deteriorated, hopefully not completely. A decade of negligence has inflicted serious damages. In order to resolve the investments problem one cannot put all the blame upon enterprises while the powers would keep doing whatever they like in politics.

Non progredi est regredi! Not to move forward means to move back. That is an old Latin saying. So we have moved backwards from Estonia, Slovenia, Poland, and even Russia. The machinery has worn out still more, the technology has outdated, labor has devaluated resulting in aging of labor force. Young people feel reluctant to go into industry, into factories and farms. Old permanent personnel either disperse or take to drink hard. This widespread drinking looks quite beneficial for the powers. Is it not the reason why the spirits prices stay low in comparison to other consumer goods. And this sort of alcohol ruins human health quickly making them chronic addicts. Extremely low wages reflect a high degree of labor exploitation. And in case we add the political regime and its attempts to limit civil liberties, we may only state that we are now in the 19-th century!

It will not take long to find an answer to the question about responsibility for our present and future. The responsibility rests with the powers, and A.Lukashenko first of all. The time will come, when in all conformity with the law we will address the question why our life has been so appalling to Mr. Lukashenko and the Chamber of Representatives appointed by him.

The “dummy”Deputies must give account of what they have done for Belarus and its people and workers. Many of them feel comfortable in their seats and planning to get back to the Chamber. They say, the Deputies have already divided among them the constituencies where with the help of administrations and their regular tricks they can easily obtain the votes.

Our citizens have to think hard how to live further and make their choice. Many of them realize that without transformations of political power all attempts to restructure the economy, industry or agriculture are doomed. Honest administrators, teachers and doctors, academics, and workers, are living now below the subsistence level. Lukashenko, being provided by the state with everything for free and being Head of his own Foundation, can pull workers’ leg as he did at a motor plant. He was complaining that his salary was small hardly making 180 thousand Belorussian rubles. Indeed, President can enjoy life with this low salary. Because he has got everything without money. But can a worker, or a teacher make both ends meet with 30-40 thousand rubles a month?

We have to understand that well-being of the nation depends first of all on the country’s leaders. Lukashenko has formed a negative image of the country, both political and economic. Mistakes of a common person may do harm to his or her nearest, while mistakes of top officials may endanger future of a whole nation. Erroneous actions of a leader cause tremendous damage to the people. That is why a democracy sets up a guarantee against fallacious political and socio-economic courses, strategies and actions. This guarantee is regular elections. He who failed to provide normal development to the state and to the nation must quit. And indeed it happens everywhere. Those political forces which could not cope with the situation go away giving place to others. In this country it is all upside down. The economy, industry and agriculture have been practically ruined; the population is starving and dying out, but nobody of the Lukashenko ruling team is about to leave. On the contrary, they are resorting to all available means in order to stay in power.

That is why everything depends on the election and choice. We need to change the power. This is a necessary and sufficient pre-condition for changing our lives. The question of our future and a better life is in the hands of the Belorussian citizens. Do not let them cheat you once again!

But in order to let the people make a correct choice the opposition parties have always been insisting on fulfilling four conditions expressed in the Platform of the Consultative Council of political parties and supported by the OSCE.

First, this is the revised functions of the Parliament, i.e. restoration of the powers division principle ruined by Lukashenko who declared the results of 1996 Referendum as mandatory. The Referendum was carried out in full accordance with the principle of one of the former leaders - “Voting itself is less important that the way we calculate the results”. We also need badly a new democratic law on election, adherence to basic human rights and discharge of all political prisoners, a systematic access of the opposition to the state-owned media. If the conditions were fulfilled the opposition could take part in the election. However, the powers just brushed slightly the election legislation and gave a chance to the opposition to appear a couple of times over TV. They decided that all OSCE directions were implemented and declared the election.

What the opposition shall do now? Each party has to take its own decision in accordance with the new political situation. We need to foresee it and to get ready to the next stage. I will express my own opinion. The party congresses will determine future actions. .

As I believe, the parties in opposition need to be true to the chosen strategy and to refuse from participation in the election. There is also no need in the international observers’ coming to Belarus. There must be no attributes that may make the election look in accordance with international ethics and standards.

At the same time, the citizens in opposition shall take part in all pre-election or election procedures. They shall go to the people and explain their standpoint, referring to the facts and examples, and demonstrating the origin of the country’s and people’s troubles; they shall promote their programs and explain what they can and must do when the people entrusted them seats in the legislative and executive branches of power.

It does not imply that we would like to recognize The 1996 Constitution and everything what has been done by Lukashenko and his regime. On the contrary. We need to fight for the seats in the “emasculated” Parliament in order to restore its potential and fight further for winning back democratic principles of government. Independent deputies in opposition will become the seed that will produce a qualitatively new wave of opposition.

The new Parliamentarians must be those who are able to withstand the destructive actions of the executive branch. They must be strong, courageous and independent. It will be hard to achieve, even harder than to oppose the armed to the teeth guardians of the Lukashenko’s regime. The Parliamentary election may be the first test of forces in the struggle for real power that is likely to start next year at the Presidential election.

Participation to the election does not mean refusal from other methods of struggle. On the contrary, there is a chance to improve our street protest actions and rallies as forms of struggle against the regime. There is no alternative. We all have to fight for a better life and to think about our future because only those who persistently fight for their freedom and independence, for democracy and social progress, deserve the freedom and life in an independent and prosperous state.

Chairman of the Belarus the Automobile and Agricultural Machinery Workers’ Union

English Home page