March 25 nationally conscious citizens of Belarus celebrate on freedom Day (Zen Will). The holiday is unofficial. However, quite popular among our closest neighbours, not least because it has a history. On this day in 1918, the Council of the Belarusian people’s Republic declared independence. Processes of a free nation that took place in these areas, as well as in Ukraine, was interrupted by the restoration of the Russian Empire in the role of the USSR and replaced by a Kremlin-controlled formal-indicative “development of socialist Nations.”
An attempt to revive the interrupted process of the creation of the nation after the collapse of the Soviet Union ended for Belarus (unlike Ukraine) failed. The authorities came to the recent party Secretary of the village and the whole country tried to turn into a large farm. Today, however, such a system fails. As noted by the visible figure of the Belarusian opposition, Nikolai Statkevich, “the scheme when the country turned into a big farm, where one person can control almost every… chic for political control, such political happiness to the person with power. But this scheme is extremely inefficient economically”. For that lasting “happiness” Belarus is currently paying Russia, but now the Kremlin cannot afford to increase the payment policy of denationalization of Belarus, which, actually spent “batska” Lukashenka. So today his regime reached an impasse.
Over the years, who have lived Belarusians after the collapse of the Soviet Empire, the celebration of freedom Day was always the occasion for the opponents of Lukashenko and his policy of “frozen scoop.” As a rule, it was not marked by mass protests. At least these data gave the country’s interior Ministry. However, earlier in Minsk, where, in fact, always held on freedom Day, he had (according to the opposition) to 10 thousand people, which for Belarus is not so little!
However, according to the testimony as witnesses, and a number of Belarusian news agencies, today the situation is fundamentally different. Freedom day is regarded by the opposition, headed by Nikolai Statkevich, as a continuation of mass protests against the “tax on parasitism”. We are talking about the Decree №3 “On the prevention of social dependency” signed by Belarusian President Lukashenka, according to which unemployed people had to pay tax to the state Treasury. The majority of Belarusians, who were in a difficult financial position because of unemployment or low salary, could not stand such abuse from the authorities, and in several cities of Belarus witnessed a series of mass protests against this decree.
By the way, for those 40 percent of Ukrainians who, according to surveys approximately six months ago, would like to see in Ukraine the power a regime similar Lukashenko, this mode brought the Belarusians to the current critical state. “In fact, the nation is in a terrible stress. Wages in the regions are such that the people barely have enough food. In families already thinking about what to feed children. The responsibility for this people lay on one person. He took care of everything, controls everything and therefore is responsible for everything” (Statkevich).
As became clear rather quickly, the law on “social parasites” was the catalyst for the open manifestation of discontent with the authorities, which had accumulated in the Belarusian society. For the first time in many years (twenty-four!) the reign of “father Lukashenko” mass protests were held in several cities of Belarus, such as Minsk, Vitebsk, Gomel, Mogilev, Molodechno, Bobruisk, Brest, Rogachev, Orsha. And for the first years of the reign of the “eternal head of state farm” across the country, not only in the capital, as before, they put forward the slogan: “Basta!” And “Lukashenka, go away!”.
Representatives BNK (Belarusian national Congress) regard the events that are currently going through their homeland, as a spiritual revolution, and Mikola Statkevich, who, by the way, five years in prison because of opposition to the Lukashenka regime, in General, spoke about the popular uprising. Whether conceived of as a revolution, time will tell, including the freedom Day on March 25. However, today it became clear that Belarus woke up and began Belarusian Spring. “Eternal sleep” of Belarus, in which it seemed to be driven by power after the suppression of mass protests in Minsk on 18-25 March 2006, ended suddenly and unexpectedly.
We must pay tribute to the Belarusian opposition and its current leader Mikola Statkevich, they are aware of the risks for Belarus carries now a national uprising. Among the most terrible and, unfortunately, the most likely — to-start hybrid war, Putin’s Russia, against independent Belarus. It is noteworthy that the threat of Russian occupation of Belarus “green men” have realized a long time ago and the President Lukashenko. Especially real for the country it was when we were talking about possible military exercises of the Russian Federation in Belarus. However, unfortunately, it is unlikely that “father” is able to recognize the demands of the opposition and resign for the sake of freedom of the country, or at least to dramatically change the political course (as in his time did the Spanish Caudillo Franco). A man possessed by delusions of domination, is not able, obviously, to hear the voice of reason. The same, unfortunately, Lukashenka click.
As rightly noted by the Belarusian opposition, two approaches to dialogue with the people used by the authorities in Belarus: “make” and “shut up.” But, if Lukashenko will go the way of Yanukovich and call the Russian troops in the country, it is unlikely and in this case, Putin will let him live. In recent years, “but father,” often “Balk” even began careful Belarusization of Belarus. And the Kremlin neoimperialism needed in Belarus are fully controlled by the President, the President-puppet, capable of absolute obedience to the Kremlin master. The absurdity and tragedy of the current Belarusian situation is that only the Belarusian opposition today can really protect Lukashenko from the long arm of Moscow, as it clearly is ready to defend independent Belarusian state in all possible ways. God forbid that the masses were with the Belarusian opposition.
And yet, despite all the real dangers and threats, the Belarusian Spring has come. Freedom day comes. “To some extent what is happening now can be called a revolution of the internal, the spiritual. People in the intimidated for so many years, the country suddenly feel the strength, dignity and courage to change. It is a historical period we are now witnessing the birth of Belarusian civil society, the birth of a nation. It’s a great time” (Mikalai Statkevich).
