God, well, there is some social distance what you’re talking about! In the may 9 parade in Minsk and soldiers went shoulder to shoulder, and spectators with smartphones had crowded densely, and on the main podium of important people stood tight. Naturally, no masks: worthless heirs feat to give in to a small virus.
Alexander Lukashenko held a parade knowing that many don’t approve of him, called feast during the plague. The official leader even in his speech at the event could not resist the controversy: “In this crazy, lost world, there are people condemning us for the time and place of holding this sacred action. Want to tell them properly: not rush to conclusions, and especially to condemn us, the heirs of Victory, the Belarusians”.
Stop, but even among the opponents of the parade in the midst of a pandemic — many Belarusians. A recent poll Satio and outreach showed that 74% of respondents favor a ban on all mass actions in the country. And that having a point of view deprived of the right to legacy of Victory? And, this way, people at large positions imagined themselves to be monopolists and the Supreme court in this matter?
Lukashenka’s policy over the years has created a deep political values, moral split in the Belarusian society. And holding of this parade only deepens the rift, despite the fact that the idea of such dates needs to consolidate the nation.
Although the head of state on the eve said that one parade is not necessary to drag, in social networks there was a lot of evidence that the administrative resource is still working — if not in the form of a whip, in the form of a carrot. Showing off the “best” Soviet traditions.
When “I want” becomes public policy
A few days ago the President said at the meeting that the parade is not the most dangerous from the point of view of epidemiologists and virologists event. Who consulted the official leader is unclear.
In any case, not with who, to the authority which the Belarusian authorities appeals when it is beneficial. Because the who representative in Belarus Batyr Berdichev said on may 4 in the comment to BelaPAN: “We are very concerned about the possible negative consequences of holding such a mass event in the period of the epidemic”. And the head of the European who regional office for Europe Hans Kluge noted that “those governments that took the brave decision to defer or postpone the parades, put people’s health first”.
But the Belarusian leader has their own concept of courage. “I am very concerned that people would not approve if we are frightened, will taking that burrows,” said Lukashenko at the meeting on 3 may. It seems, here at first appeared a kind of understanding of how to look like a strong leader. Lukashenka embraces the tough guy, which transcend all.
Probably affected by the fact that the person ruling the country for almost 26 years, accustomed to unquestioning obedience. It produces impaired thinking. At the time of Stalin’s mistakes have been very costly to the Soviet people who paid with blood. There was no one to correct the leader, everything was shaking. And surrounded by Lukashenko, it seems, there are no persons, capable to argue, even if they secretly think that in vain the chief started it. And when the system is authoritarian, personalistic, any “I want” becomes a state policy.
Attempt to secure the moral capital of the dead
Justifying the holding of the parade, Lukashenko stated: “…we look At the eyes of the dead for our freedom of Soviet soldiers, eyes tortured in the dungeons of the Gestapo, partisans and underground fighters, the eyes of the elderly, women and children of Khatyn. They really wanted to live but died so we could live!”
Attempt to secure the moral capital of heroes and war victims in today’s debate about the appropriateness of a mass event that threatens people’s health, looks, to put it mildly, incorrect. From the belief that the dead certainly would have approved of risk for a public ritual? These veterans would not tolerate bravado and vain the bullets do not climb.
The inappropriateness of such pathos on the eve of demonstrated performance, the activists of the “Youth bloc”. At the capital’s Victory square on the background of the famous slogan “the immortal Feat of the people” they were photographed with a poster “But we’re not.”
Dead like plastic flowers, official pathos, which is often used out of place, no longer inspiring, and often irritates a lot. And it is especially inappropriate now, when rampant coronavirus.
Moreover, the Belarusian head unexpectedly he contributed to the desacralization of today’s holiday. Others compare the current parade with a demonstration on may 1, 1986, when the Communist chieftains for the sake of the ritual brought people under radiation after the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
In the war of Stalin’s other generals to take a city for the holiday, littered a path to glory bodies, are cynically saying that women give birth to the new. And now the government de facto demonstrates a disregard for human life, putting in the first place ritual.
Not every day manage to outdo Putin
At the end of March, Lukashenko complained about the problem: on 9 may in Moscow at the celebrations to visit in Minsk to take hits. The problem resolved itself: Vladimir Putin your event (and how it was expensive!) was cancelled because of the pandemic.
Today Lukashenka stressed that “this year’s military parade in Minsk will be the only post-Soviet”. And this, presumably, is also an important point that persuaded the scales (as Lukashenko has previously admitted that the “long thought”) in favor of the parade.
Here after all what paradox: the pandemic unexpectedly allowed the Belarusian leader to pull the centre of the celebrations in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in his capital. Moscow, which complained previously Lukashenka, some people are itching to privatize a Great Victory, was in the shade, but he is on the horse as the most faithful and fearless heir of glory.
In the foreground here — the game ambitions, “pissing off the Putin — is the main motive”. This opinion was expressed previously in comments to Naviny.by the expert of the analytical center “Strategy” (Minsk, Belarus) Valery Karbalevich.
Everything is under control, why bother
So, the soldiers marched, tanks were prolazili, the aircraft flew. What’s the bottom line? Sociology shows that the Belarusians are actually notabilis because of the “crown”, very critical of the actions of the authorities in the context of covid-19. So the biggest public relations dividends in the country, the official leader of this parade will not collect. Rather, the opposite.
In the world for this action look mostly puzzled or research interest: what kind of experiment holds extravagant Belarusian leader? Foreign leaders, which Lukashenko invited with a sweeping gesture, apparently, has not arrived.
Perhaps the parade will delight the part of the Russian patriots, who are attracted to the slogan “Can you repeat that”. But how many in Russia actually saw the event? But Putin surely will Harbor anger and jealousy. So understanding in bilateral relations will not increase.
And Belarus has already started the presidential campaign. If we had real elections, the incumbent President, perhaps, would have behaved otherwise in relation to the pandemic in General, and in the matter of events in particular. View, as a demonstration put to the forefront the health and lives of the leaders of the democratic countries. Humanists are not humanists, but they, or their colleagues corny to be re-elected.
However, elections in Belarus, apparently, will be “in the best tradition of” when real competition is crushed, and the voices say (or allegedly say) especially his people. So permanent President no need, as he puts it, to bathe.
The government is stuck in the past
The parade Lukashenko once again showed themselves to be deeply conservative, which is tied to Soviet ideology, Soviet rituals. Moreover, the ritual is put above health. In the Soviet tradition, people are expendable, which is to service the supposedly great goals, and actually power ambitions of the leaders. So the moralizing from high tribunes it sounds fake.
The conservatism of the current leader of Belarus, his desire to stop time, to preserve the status quo of today objectively hinders the country, condemning it to backwardness from the developed world.
The epidemic is especially clearly shown that the political regime of Belarus, constructed in the spirit of the führer, and repeat of Soviet practices, does not meet the requirements of the time. The country needs another, more modern and humanistic thinking power.
