Belarus (magazine #2 2014) by BELARUS Magazine

No.2(965), 2014

BELARUS www.belarus-magazine.by

Беларусь. Belarus

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Беларусь.Belarus Monthly magazine No. 2 (965), 2014 Published since 1930 State Registration Certificate of mass medium No.8 dated March 2nd, 2009, issued by the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus

Founders: The Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus “SB” newspaper editorial office Belvnesheconombank Editor: Viktor Kharkov

Conversation to the point

Executive Secretary: Valentina Zhdanovich

Design and Layout by

Strong border The President’s approval of

the decision for state border protection is already a traditional annual event and, as a rule, it’s held in Alexander Lukashenko’s working residence, with few participants involved. However, this time, the format was slightly changed

Export version

New height Belavia Air Company is getting

Under hospitality rules There is little time

38 40 42

Investment into intelligence

Talent spotting Teachers sometimes spot

Breakthrough in online games Most

left until the World Ice Hockey Championship in May

New lease of life given to early printed books Hits of the past for the future Yuri Vashchuk, Oksana and Anatoly Vecher revive folk songs with second life

Teacher and his pupils On February 14th,

People’s Artist of Belarus Pavel Maslenikov would have celebrated his 100th birthday: inspiring reflection on this famous master’s life and artistry

Height of scenes of Viktor Gudinovich

children’s talents where parents fail, allowing an early thirst for arts and sciences to be guided

popular worldwide online-game with Belarusian ‘registration’

Championships and Olympiads — between sessions Many domestic and

foreign IT companies look at Belarusian students as potential future programmers, while they are still studying

ready for the World Ice Hockey Championship, launching new routes

It is written, as it is heard The first national Cyrillic domain may appear this year on Bynet

беларусь.belarus 2014

‘Outsourcing’ for Yuri Shif

Vadim Kondrashov Nadezhda Ponkratova Беларусь.Belarus is published in Belarusian, English, Spanish and Polish. Distributed in 50 countries of the world. Final responsibility for factual accuracy or interpretation rests with the authors of the publications. Should any article of Беларусь.Belarus be used, the reference to the magazine is obligatory. The magazine does not bear responsibility for the contents of advertisements.

Publisher: “SB” editorial office This magazine has been printed at State Entertainment “Publishers “Belarus Printing House”. 79 Nezavisimosti Ave., Minsk, Belarus, 220013 Order No. 405 Total circulation — 1935 copies (including 732 in English).

Write us to the address: 11 Kiselyov Str., Minsk, Belarus, 220029. Tel.: +375 (17) 290-62-24, 290-66-45. Tel./Fax: +375 (17) 290-68-31. www.belarus-magazine.by E-mail: mail@belarus-magazine.by Subscription index in Belpochta catalogue — 74977 For future foreign subscribers for ‘Belarus’ magazine, apply to ‘MK-Periodica’ agency. E-mail: info@periodicals.ru Telephone in Minsk: +375 (17) 227-09-10.

editor’s note

Key issues

hat is most important in life? Prosperity? Security? Surely yes — since both are vital for a stable society and state. Key issues guiding the country’s development were recently discussed at a meeting between the President and heads of leading media, looking at the most vital aspects of life in Belarusian society: from youth problems to modernisation of enterprises, the situation in the banking sphere and foreign policy. Read more in Conversation to the Point. More than 500 leading scientists from organisations across the CIS, Europe and Asia recently gathered at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus to warmly celebrate its 85th anniversary. Besides being colleagues, many were old friends. The NAS liaises with scientists from 70 countries, and many wished to convey their personal congratulations. Delegations arrived from Russia, Ukraine, China, Lithuania, Poland; from CIS countries, as well as from Europe

and Asia. Among the esteemed guests were various leaders of the globe’s top scientific organisations. The honoured guest of the anniversary celebrations was Nobel Prize laureate Zhores Alferov, the Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The academic delivered a report on the latest 20th century technologies at the opening of the international conference and noted that he views Belarus’ work in the fields of quantum optics and physics as being among the most significant. He also sees our huge potential in the field of biology — especially in reference to medical progress, information technologies and new diagnostic methods. He explained, “I’ve always highly praised Belarusian science. Belarus is among the leaders across post-Soviet territory — primarily because it is developing its high technologies and hi-tech industries. People cannot do without the Academy of Sciences.” On the eve of its anniversary, the Academy of Sciences published its top ten achievements of the year. Physicists have created a new kind of hyperbolic

meta-material with unique characteristics: on the one hand, they are absolutely absorbing; on the other hand, they are absolutely leaky. Mathematicians have created new models and methods of solving stability problems and material scientists have developed the technology for reception of current-carrying paints based on nano-sized silver particles that will help in the creation of electronic schemes. The achievements of neurophysiologists, geophysicists, economists, agrarians, art historians and historians were listed. Read more on this fascinating topic in our Scientific Discoveries Always Young. Industrial exports are vital to the economy, receiving careful attention from the state since they bring significant revenue into the budget. A recent meeting focused not only on our ability to produce competitive high-tech goods but our ability to sell them within a reasonable timeframe. Export Version explains further. Demand for innovative ideas is higher than ever before. It’s not enough to simply have resources; it’s necessary to use them efficiently in creating new products. Intellectual assets are to the fore, with information technologies allowing new ideas to be harnessed rapidly. We are part of a new age. Accordingly, ‘IT: New Generation’ is our major theme in this issue, dominating our post-industrial times. We are living in an era of great progress and bold change. Young and ambitious IT workers have an alluring future before them, being sought after by domestic and foreign IT companies. Championships and Olympiads — Between Sessions explores the trend, whereby some students are ‘courted’ while still studying at higher educational establishments. Clearly, the IT sphere in Belarus continues to develop rapidly and needs high-class specialists. Our future success lies in our ability to embrace opportunity and seize the moment. By Viktor Kharkov

2014 беларусь.belarus

PANORAMA  Experience proves real usefulness Belarus is a regional leader in terms of improvement of financial literacy of its citizens

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Specific winning formula Belarusian State University takes first place in country’s university ratings

s the new year begins, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the achievements of the passing year. The Ministry of Education’s rating of 48 domestic universities, following the results of the

2013 entrance campaign, has placed the Belarusian State University first, followed by the Belarusian National Technical University. The Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radionics is ranked third, while the Belarusian State Economic University and Minsk State Linguistic University complete the top five. The criteria used included the number of students entering university in 2013, the number studying free of charge, the number paying fees and the number of foreign enrollees. ‘Pass’ grades for certain specialties also influenced the rating, as did the number of students enrolled without the need for entrance tests.

 Hefty reserve Belarus’ gold reserves rise over a tonne in six months

s of January1st, 2014, Belarus’ gold reserves reached 35 tonnes, according to the National Bank. The volume of the state fund of precious metals and stones (in gold equivalent) is recalculated every six months. On July 1st, 2013, it totalled 33.8 tonnes, making it a rise of 1.2 tonnes.

беларусь.belarus 2014

xecutive Director of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Alfred Hannig told the journalists that the level of financial inclusion in Belarus is very high. “Belarus is the first member of our organization from Eastern Europe. It’s a regional leader in the study of such issues as the measurement of financial inclusion and improvement of financial literacy of the population. The experience of Belarus in this area could be useful to other AFI members,” noted Mr. Hannig. “In total, about 85 percent of the population has access to at least one of the banking services.” The AFI Executive Director came to Belarus to discuss in the National Bank the expansion of bilateral cooperation and to review the preparations for the upcoming meeting of the AFI working group on consumer rights and behaviour, hosted by Minsk in March 2014. The meeting of the working group in Belarus has become a kind of recognition of the significant progress made by the National Bank in improving access to finance, including the protection of consumers of financial services, and its active work in addressing these issues. The National Bank stated that ‘the increase is due to the purchase of gold on the domestic and international markets, and to the restructuring of the gold reserves’. According to the countr y’s major bank, Belarus’ international reserve assets, calculated in line with the International Monetary Fund’s standards, made $6,650,000,000 (preliminary data) as of January 1st, 2014

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he conversation of President Alexander Lukashenko with the heads of the largest Belarusian mass-media outlets continued for more than 5 hours. The heads of both state and non-state mass media outlets were invited to the meeting. The questions concerned all aspects of life of Belarusian society — from youth policy, culture and sport to the modernisation of enterprises, the situation in bank industry and foreign policy.

Mass media The President charged with learning the necessity to change the order of distribution of printed periodical press in the country. In particular, Mr. Lukashenko’s attention was focused on increasing the competition of print editions with Internet resources which can react to one or another event more effectively. At the same time, printed editions, for example, do not have possibilities to be issued on Mondays, and, accordingly, to inform readers on events which occurred at the weekend. “I can’t say, whether it’s possible to make it quickly, how much it will cost if we really need it in general,” noted the President. In this connection, Mr. Lukashenko charged the Editor-inChief of the newspaper Sovetskaya Belorussiya, Pavel Yakubovich, the head of the leading printed edition in the country, with organising the study of this issue with all interested parties. “You should gather and develop an unequivocal opinion and then tell me what to do. After that, I’ll invite certain people and give them specific tasks,” charged the President.

Local Council elections “The present election campaign is an indicator of the level of consciousness of our people”, noted Mr. Lukashenko, who then asked Belarusians to display activity on the forthcoming elections to local Councils of Deputies.

“I want to ask, and I wish that people will come to these elections; that they do not think that the deputies of local Councils do nothing, and solve nothing. Yes, they aren’t so visible; maybe, because they don’t solve global issues which are solved here, on a higher level. But it doesn’t mean that

live without development today,” noted Mr. Lukashenko. The peculiarity of modernisation in Belarus also consists of a restricted approach to this process. First of all, priority will be given to highly profitable projects, though to some extent all enterprises should be involved in modernisa-

Conversation to the point Conceptual questions of the development of the country were discussed at the meeting of the President with heads of leading mass media outlets they are less important for life of the average person.” Mr. Lukashenko emphasised that everyone will make their choice independently. “Vote for whom you want. If you want to protest, to vote for members of the opposition, so vote, if you stand for constructivism, for the policy which is pursued in the state, then vote for the state person. It’s your right. The only thing that you should do is to come.”

Modernisation One of the main tasks today was the active development of those manufactures which are focused on local resources and raw materials. It concerns agriculture, woodworking and a number of other directions. “We’ll more and more orientate our economy towards local materials, let them be even poor,” noted the President. “If we ambitiously declare that we, Belarusians, want to be sovereign and independent, and we don't engage in modernisation of life and manufacturing, we’ll never be such people, but will end up wearing bast shoes. It’s impossible to

tion. “We will not allow anyone to sleep. Restricted modernisation with active state support did and will always exist. The ones who give more to the state and its people will receive greater support from us,” said the President. Citing the agricultural sector as an example, the President noted that, as a result of its development, the volumes of export and quality of production are growing. “Today, the European Union cannot carp at us. We press them — ‘why you do not allow us to deliver dairy products to your market? After all there is a demand for them. The quality meets your requirements. Our quality is not worse than in Europe. So tell us simply that you protect your own market and do not let others in’. However, several Vitebsk or Grodno enterprises have received permission for European delivery, while quality standards are really mad there. Even in Russia, it is already quite difficult to sell something. That is what modernisation means. If we were not engaged in it, we would not speak about it today,” noted Mr. Lukashenko. 2014 беларусь.belarus

actuality we will have to buy more. Is it necessary to do this? We have found a resultant force,” said the President.

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Car manufacturing

The economy Speaking about recession and the growth of the economy in Belarus in 2013, Mr. Lukashenko noted that its reasons include a world crisis which affected both Russian, and European markets, both basic trading partners of Belarus, manufacturing decrease in connection with deficiency of Russian oil for loading of Belarusian oil refineries, and the situation in the potash sphere. “Russia limited deliveries of oil to our plants, allowing us less. We received 2-3m tonnes less,” he said. As for the sphere of potash fertilisers, here, there is a deficiency of $1.5-1.7bn. “This is money which we lacked, and people started worrying that there would be devaluation. This was the money which we lacked,” noted the President. Mr. Lukashenko reminded that, like China, in previous years the economy of Belarus had increased by 9.8-11 percent. “We were not inferior to them. It was the highest growth. I was even afraid of the economy overheating. But беларусь.belarus 2014

during that time when we grew well, we developed our manufacturing and carried out modernisation of some of our larger enterprises, which affect our life today. We did much; we built much and built cheaply. Salaries were not less than $500. It was the mad growth of our economy. And as for today, we have already surpassed the level of the Soviet period by more than twice. We are the only such post-Soviet republic to have achieved this. After such mad rates, it is natural, that it was followed by certain recession, in all states, and we had to pass from the larger growth of the economy, to qualitative growth. But it is a pity that it coincided with the second wave of the crisis in the countries which are our basic partners,” said the President. “We have reached a certain upper limit in the development of our productive forces and the return from them. And we will grow, probably up to 5 percent, I doubt we will add more, because we basically have a manufacturing industry, and if we grow much,

“It has been my presidential dream for a long time. We produce buses and heavy haulers but we cannot make a good car for our people,” noted the President. He explained in detail about how the idea to create such manufacture appeared, and how the negotiations with the Chinese were carried out. As a result, the joint assembly was opened in the Borisov District. Within several months, it is planned to construct the whole plant with a capacity of 120 thousand cars a year. “I have approved this car, and currently we are holding the strongest conversations with Russia and others in order to have possibility of selling this car without difficulties. No one wants to let us into their own territory. It is very difficult to squeeze into this oversaturated market,” noted the President. “We will gradually move towards this 120 thousand production goal. But for me, it is important that we will offer a new car to our people. A thoughtful person, who is able to save, will buy this car.” Besides, the creation of corresponding manufacture in Belarus will stimulate the development of other enterprises. “This car will contribute to the work of a dozen of highly effective enterprises which will produce car parts,” said the President.

Income The President paid attention to the fact that last year, having a small growth of GDP of 1 percent, the average salary of the population grew in the country. “Growth of salary is good, but prices also grew in our country. I cannot say that we drove people into a corner, but nevertheless salary grew out of accordance with labour productivity. These are objective and recognised data,” said the Head of State. Last year, the welfare of citizens has improved; income of the population page

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has grown more than by 17 percent, having exceeded the plan almost three times (6.5 percent), the real growth rate of income of the population by pre-crisis 2010 reached 140 percent. “Some do not have that average salary of $580. I recognise that. For example, the salary in the budgetary sphere is about $120 less. This is inadmissible. But I cannot raise the salary of state employees to 90 percent of the real sector all at once, as it was usually accepted in our country, even in our best years. Certainly, we will gradually raise them. And we are doing this today. But all of this depends on the economy,” noted the President. “We should not forget that, according to statistics, every second family in our country has a car, and some more than one. And here we have even overtaken rich Russia,” said Alexander Lukashenko. “In our country, with $1,000 we can buy more than in Russia, because the standard of living and prices have great value here. These are official data. We have left rich Russia behind.” The government is also instructed to study the possibility of increasing the incomes of law-paid workers. “We will make it calmly this year,” said the President. “It is a strategy to scale up the salaries of low-paid workers.” Mr. Lukashenko was also asked about the support of pensioners and the possibility of indemnification of their losses because of the devaluation which occurred in 2011. The President assured everyone that the state will continue to take measures to increase the income of pensioners.

About agriculture Belarus made a decision to carry out scale republican meetings twice a year. This year the work of housing and public utilities and the agro-industrial complex will be analysed by analogy to the building sector. Explaining, why exactly these spheres were chosen, the President said that agriculture worried him, from the point of view of financing. According to him, in

agriculture, as well as in building, there is a lot of mismanagement and clutter. “However I’m more worried about the financial question, the financial state of agricultural enterprises. It is far from ideal,” noted the President. “The time has come to examine the situation in agriculture and to

three people where two of them are state employees, pays 4 percent of income for such apartment, two pensioners pay nearly 5 percent. “Name just one developed, civilised country of the world, where people pay as little as our people. In Europe people pay three times as much. We cover housing and public

Last year, the welfare of citizens has improved; income of the population has grown more than by 17 percent, having exceeded the plan almost three times (6.5 percent), the real growth rate of income of the population by pre-crisis 2010 reached 140 percent make further decisions. Whether we support agriculture, as we used to, or whether we should press them to earn money themselves,” emphasised the Head of State.

utility services (even when the prices increase) on 23 percent, 77 percent of housing and public utilities are covered at the expense of the budget,” said the President.

Housing and public utilities

The fulfilment of debt obligations

As for the housing and public utility sphere, the President instructed the commission, led by the Chairman of State Control Committee, to analyse the work of housing and public utility sector. Special attention will be given to formation of tariffs on housing and public utility services. The President repeatedly charged the government with introducing real expenses for housing and public utilities. However it is still not made. “The housing and public utilities in terms of tariffs is a mysterious country for me,” noted the President. “The facts show that today, a family consisting of three people, where two of them work, pays 3 percent of their income for a two-room apartment. In Russia, they pay 12 percent,” said the Head of State. The family consisting of

Sometimes today, a lot of criticism is thrown at the debts of Belarus. But, as it is said, cognition comes through comparison. “Our total debt is about 50 percent of GDP. For example, in the USA it is 101 percent, or $17 trillion, in the Russian Federation, it’s nearly $800bn. Italy, Greece, Ireland and Portugal have debts totalling more than they produce a year — over 100 percent of GDP. As for our state debt, it is only 18-19 percent of GDP, $12bn,” said Mr. Lukashenko. “Obviously, it is better for us not to have it at all. But that is impossible, especially for an economy such as ours. We do not have those volumes of oil, such natural resources like natural gas, but the prices on them still keep steady. However we are compelled to buy all these, therefore we hardly will do without all these,” noted the Head of State. 2014 беларусь.belarus

actuality At the same time, Belarus fulfils its debt obligations and will continue to fulfil them this year. Alexander Lukashenko thanked the management of Russia, which had supported Belarus during these hard times. “And not only Russia supported us during that time. We were also supported by China, and also international organisations including the Eurasian Bank,” said the President. “There have been offers which are very favourable for us, on crediting of our economy, on the granting of financial means to our country. But we already control that it will not increase by more than 5 percent. There are offers even at 3 percent interest. China, for example offers loans at nearly 3 percent interest.”

Credit interest rates “45 percent is a crazy rate. It is not normal. And we see that we have all possibilities to reduce this rate. We cannot credit the real sector at such interest rates,” said Mr. Lukashenko. He reminded that, in due time, there was no other way out than to raise the interest rate on credit. “As there was such feverish demand, and we did not have big gold reserves, we were compelled to take this unpopular step. However, gradually, as long as there are no problems, we will come to normal state of things,” said the President.

Statistics Mr. Lukashenko reminded that he made a decision at the end of the last five-year period to move to international standards of statistics. “Importantly, the National Statistics Committee is no longer under the Government. This was changed to exclude excessive pressure, because statistics are a very serious thing, and influence the decisions, which state bodies, including me and the Government, will make. It was changed to meet the international statistical norms,” noted Mr. Lukashenko. “We work in close contact with the International Monetary Fund. We do not ask them for any credits, but their opinion influences the state rating. беларусь.belarus 2014

You cannot co-operate with the IMF without putting your cards on the table. Professionals of the highest level work there,” said Mr. Lukashenko. “Therefore, the claims that something is embellished here, is nonsense. Firstly, we do not need this embellishment, and I was never engaged in it. And secondly, if you do it today, you will pay for it tomorrow,” said the President.

The devaluation of the Rouble The state of affairs in the foreign exchange market is perhaps one of the most discussed topics of recent times. Alexander Lukashenko noted that ‘all people in the country, except the President, waited for the devaluation of the national currency’. “I said that we will not artificially devaluate our Rouble in order to give a breath of fresh air to BelAZ, MAZ and so on, because the devaluation of a national currency results in an increase in prices. We have already experienced it. Therefore we will not do this, not at 25 percent, nor at 30 percent or 15 percent. If we have the possibility, we will support the stability of the national currency, but not excessively. All states do it.” Market laws are simple — if there is a great demand for Dollars, and people run to currency exchange offices, it is impossible to sustain the rate of the national currency, having caught at it, it is necessary to slacken it gradually. And we made it in Belarus. “Against the Dollar

we devaluated by more than 10 percent a year gradually, as for a basket of currencies — Dollar, Euro and Russian Rouble — hardly more than by 9 percent. It means that under such an economy as we had, under a negative balance, we did not cling on to the national currency, instead we gradually devaluated it,” noted the President. Certainly, there were those who wanted to exploit it for their own political gain, in advance of parliamentary and presidential elections. Mr. Lukashenko told that he had applied to independent experts, requesting that they estimated the consequences of single-step devaluation of the national currency. “They have unanimously told me that there will not be any advantage. The state, the people and the enterprises will appear at a disadvantage. It confirmed my thoughts. I did everything so that there would be no devaluation of the national currency,” noted the President, adding that he intends to act in a similar way in future. Alexander Lukashenko assured everyone that there will not be any devaluation of national currency, and if there is a need, so financial means from gold exchange reserve will be allocated to maintain the value of the Belarusian Rouble. “We have enough gold exchange reserves; moreover soon we will receive nearly $1.5bn from the Russian Federation to underpin the gold exchange reserve. In case page

We work in close contact with the International Monetary Fund. We do not ask them for any credits, but their opinion influences the state rating. You cannot co-operate with the IMF without putting your cards on the table. Professionals of the highest level work there

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of emergency, if we have excessive gold exchange reserves, we will support the economy. It is not a problem, people will get an additional salary,” said Mr. Lukashenko.

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Denomination Mr. Lukashenko reminded that Belarus has already experienced denomination before, and that there is no sense to be afraid of this process. But we also should not hasten. “We will think together with experts when this period comes. Here it is necessary to be very careful,” the President stated. “We are ready to carry out changes at any time, but there should be certain conditions for this technical step. There should not be any change in the interest rate. There should not be any alarms in the market, so that the population is not worried. Moreover, the economy should not have crisis phenomena. Even if this year we feel that the economy becomes firm and stable, we would declare six months ahead of any denomination that it is to be carried out.” Moreover, both old and new roubles would be used together for a year. By the way, the new money is already approved, and outwardly they are similar to the Euro. “We were ready to

implement this process long ago,” noted the President. “But it is necessary to choose the correct time, so that people will not reproach us that we carried out re-denomination and that some people made a profit out of it. I will have a rigid requirement — if we round off the prices, we will round them down. People will not lose anything here.”

Transport tax According to the President, the duties on the granting of permission for a vehicle to be used in road traffic are small in Belarus in comparison with the cost of even an inexpensive car. This enables the state to annually spend considerable means on the maintenance of road infrastructure. “Therefore, there is no need to worry about this problem and shout that the state robbed you and so on. I guarantee that this money will not be spent on education, or even on public health services, but will be spent on roads, and I have warned the government about it,” noted the President. Concerning arguments that the means for road building are already built in to fuel costs, Mr. Lukashenko gave the argument that even some highways from capital into the regional centres are now being reconstructed at the expense of foreign credit, and that we have invested

almost nothing on second category roads lately.

Judicial and legal reform Alexander Lukashenko emphasised that decisions on carrying out the reform of the judicial system, with the creation of the Committee of Inquiry, were made after long examination and analysis. In particular, the experience of Kazakhstan and Russia was examined. “I was worried, and was afraid not to destroy the stability and safety which we are proud of. But when I understood that the country is strong and that we are ready to do it, I made a decision at that same moment,” the President told about the creation of the Investigation Committee in Belarus. Mr. Lukashenko recognised that, at the initial stage, there were conflicts between the Investigation Committee and other departments. However, this structure works stably now. One negative example was when someone in an official position attempted to hide a crime. The President cited the criminal case concerning the former First Deputy Prosecutor General. “There was an accident in which a girl died. She was seated on a motorcycle by one of the sons of a prominent businessman who had large patrons. So he killed a girl on 2014 беларусь.belarus

actuality a motorcycle. He was drunk, he had no driver’s license and he was helped to escape punishment. All those involved in this crime, and those who tried to hide it, were sent to prison, now the case is being submitted to the court,” said Mr. Lukashenko. Answering the question on the presence of so-called political prisoners in Belarus, the President once again noted that the Belarusian Criminal Code does not contain political articles. And concerning those who consider themselves as political prisoners, the Head of State noted that the condition for their release was the writing of a plea for mercy, as required by the Belarus legislation. Nevertheless, despite this possibility, some of them prefer to stay in prison ‘till the following electoral cycle’.

Belarusian language The President noted that all possibilities for those wanting to learn the Belarusian language are available in Belarus. At the same time, there were

Mr. Lukashenko considers that the earlier imposition of the Belarusian language was an error by the opposition. “It is a politicised problem, and we will calmly regulate this matter in the country, and I guarantee a time when there will be no discussions that we oppress the Belarusian language, and develop English or Russian. Nobody should interfere with this matter. We will make it calmly,” said the President.

on own piece of land, to have sovereignty. I do not want my people to be under pressure from someone else. It is my main task as the first President,” said Mr. Lukashenko, adding that the country will never be on friendly terms with the West, in a way that sours relations with Russia and, in much the same way, the development of Belarusian-Russian relations will not be carried out to the detriment of co-operation with the West.

Relations with the West

‘We are very good friends with Putin’

Last year, we had a lot of meetings and activities between Belarus and the EU. “Many Europeans come to us and often ask that such meetings were not made public.” noted the President. “I speak with them frankly. If they ask for a reception, I never refuse. I speak with everyone, from congressmen of the USA to European politicians.” Such discussions help to inform the heads of the European states about the Belarusian position. “Yes, we do not sit at the common table, and we do not discuss problems (we will come to that in the future), but there is a

We want to live on own piece of land, to have sovereignty. I do not want my people to be under pressure from someone else. It is my main task as the first President some remarks from the heads of some of the non-state mass media outlets about insufficient attention to the development of the Belarusian language, and Mr. Lukashenko suggested opening of special courses at state institutes and universities. “I’m not against the Belarusian language. I, even more than you, want our people to speak the Belarusian language. The only thing that I do not accept is pressure. As soon as you start to press people, there is a back reaction,” noted the President. беларусь.belarus 2014

certain dialogue, and it is already a good thing,” emphasised the President. “Recently we have started a period when we do not lash out at each other, and we are no longer on the offensive against each other. We have started to speak. Lithuania has understood that a third of its budget is from Belarus. Latvia has also understood the same,” noted Mr. Lukashenko. At the same time, the President noted that the independence of Belarus cannot be interpreted as withdrawal from cooperation with Russia. “We want to live

“We are very good friends with Putin, in spite of the fact that, at times, there are ‘sparks’ between us. I can tell him everything straight out, and in the same way, he tells me everything straight out,” noted Mr. Lukashenko. Speaking about Belarusian-Russian co-operation, the President noted that, Belarus doesn’t have such close relations with other countries, as it does with Russia. “We are friends, brothers, and generally speaking, we are one people. When we had hard times, who gave us a hand? The IMF? No! But they could. They have a lot of money, they are dripping with money. But for reasons of policy, they openly said that they cannot. While Russia gave us their shoulder,” noted the Belarusian leader. “And they will always give us their shoulder, in any situation. For various reasons, and because of the fact that losing Belarus is a big political loss and problem for Russia as a whole.” The Head of State noted that Russia gives real support, including the realisation of the project of construction of a nuclear power station. As for the attitude towards Belarus in the Russian environment, the Head of State noted that Russia is different; we should understand this and show endurance. Coming back to the theme of the allocation of 2bn in credit for Belarus, Mr. Lukashenko emphasised that by, doing this, Russia is also supporting its own enterprises which produce parts and raw materials for Belarusian machinery. By Vasily Kharitonov

DECISIONS

The President’s approval of the decision for state border protection is already a traditional annual event and, as a rule, it’s held in Alexander Lukashenko’s working residence, with few participants involved. However, this time, the format was slightly changed.

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Strong border

he President arrived in the State Border Committee for an expanded session, which seriously tackled the results of the border service and plans for the nearest future. Mr. Lukashenko pointed out that there was nothing extraordinary about such form of work. However, the border guards should perceive the fact of the President’s arrival as a very clear signal. Mr. Lukashenko personally attends those structures and organisations from which he expects greater efficiency and return benefits. “The situation in the Border Committee is not what I, as the Head of State, would like it to be,” the Belarusian leader stressed. “We’ve discussed much with the last two heads of the border agency, yet there are still many tasks that are not addressed now,” noted Mr. Lukashenko. Now, this is the sphere of responsibility of the new chairman of the State Border Committee. Moreover, the Belarusian leader explained why Leonid Maltsev was appointed to this position. Mr. Lukashenko reminded that some time ago he had a faceto-face talk after the incident connected with order violation at the border. The President partially disclosed the essence of that conversation, “It was all too much. I told Leonid Maltsev back then, ‘if another incident like that happens, either you or I will have to go there and deal with it’. He told me that it was not a thing that the President should do, so he would go. After another incident occurred, Leonid Maltsev kept his promise. That is the reason why Colonel General Leonid Maltsev took charge of the border agency. He went there in order to identify the challenges and flaws and to remove them. He will fulfil the task of the President whatever the cost.” The President also informed those in attendance to the following — “Border troops are special. They act under battle conditions. Border troops are already fulfilling their combat tasks, and this is their peculiarity. Most important is that your failures and flaws on the last metre of our land can lead to far-reaching consequences for the entire country.” 2014 беларусь.belarus

DECISIONS The Commander-in-Chief was also interested in the development of border services, and wondered how his instructions are fulfilled, how the border troops are doing, what problems persist and how they should be tackled. These are vital issues, taking into account that they made the basis for the draft law on the provision of border security and this doesn’t mean that there’s no need to improve the service before its adoption. “We need to admit that not all our plans are duly fulfilled. It is obvious, even at a glance, that the border agency has not always been able to provide an adequate response to new challenges or to the changes in the operational situation at the border. Everybody should realise that border security is not a gift from above. It is not a matter of course. The border troops play a central role here. However, it is impossible to do without the wellcoordinated and coherent efforts of all involved staterun agencies,” underlined the President. According to Mr. Lukashenko, overall, the State Border Committee is fulfilling its duties. However, ‘the current situation prompts us to ramp up our efforts to respond to modern-day challenges and threats’. Moreover, the purpose of the Belarusian border guards has also changed in recent time, and the President paid special attention to this saying that, “We’re always in the forefront, and here we defend our interests, as well as the interests of Russia and Kazakhstan. You need to perform responsibly, as you are also in contact with the West and NATO.” Leonid Maltsev then reported on the results of activity of the State Border Committee in 2013, the major approaches for border protection in 2014, as well as on

the interaction of border guards with other state agencies and the use of contemporary technical means. The Chairman of the State Border Committee particularly expanded on the topic of the preparation for the Ice Hockey World Championship. The session also tackled the work of border guards on the Lithuanian frontier, the development of railway and aviation checkpoints and the activity of border commissions. Finishing the conversation, the Commander-in-Chief reminded everyone of the necessity to optimise forces and resources, “We need to remove non-essential services from the State Border Committee, and use this as an example for other agencies. Optimisation is necessary.” According to the President, the World Championship is an important event but ‘the tournament will end, and we have to use what we have created for the benefit of our people and our state’. Mr. Lukashenko also gave separate instructions regarding measures to strengthen Belarus’ weight as a guarantor of stability and security on the common border with the European Union. “We need to make better use of the EU’s interest in a strong border with Belarus. We need to carry out a number of events in this direction. They should see that we combat illegal migration, smuggling and the transportation of radioactive substances. We need to show them our importance,” emphasised the Belarusian leader. Meanwhile, Mr. Lukashenko revealed that inspections of the Armed Forces will be followed by a large-scale inspection of the border agency.

We need to make better use of the EU’s interest in a strong border with Belarus. We need to carry out a number of events in this direction. They should see that we combat illegal migration, smuggling and the transportation of radioactive substances

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 Constitutional court — empowered by state Changes to be made to the country’s Constitution

he Chairman of the Constitutional Court,PiotrMiklashevich,explained that such a requirement was caused by the restructuring of the court system. Now that the Supreme and Economic courts have united, there is a necessity to specify some positions of the main law. “Now the status of the Supreme Court as the higher judicial body heading the system of courts of general jurisdiction should be consolidated at the constitutional level,” he said. Communicating with journalists, the Chairman of the Court told about the suggestion to create a complex document of legal policy at the state level. Mr. Miklashevich said that a similar program document has already given a good account of itself. The strict principles of this policy were basis of the new body, the Investigation Committee, and there were also other structural changes of the legal system of Belarus. The right to consult the Constitutional Court will be soon changed. Currently, only 6 subjects from among the higher state bodies can apply for the checking of the legality of legal acts which are adopted in the country. The unification of courts makes room in this list. According to Mr. Miklashevich, the Prosecutor General’s Office may occupy this room. Such practices exist in many countries of the world.

By Vasily Khromov

DATE

Artur Prupas

The Nobel laureate, Zhores Alferov, with colleagues at the opening of the international conference dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus

Scientific discoveries always young More than 500 leading scientists of the CIS and scientific organisations of Europe and Asia gathered in the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus to celebrate its 85th anniversary

he celebration of Belarusian science was a warm one. It will always be like this when, not only colleagues, but also old friends meet. There were a lot of visitors. The NAS co-operates with scientists from 70 countries, and many of them personally wanted to congratulate the academy on its

85th anniversary. There were delegations from Russia, Ukraine, China, Lithuania, Poland and other CIS countries as well as from Europe and Asia. Leaders of the main scientific organisations from every corner of the globe paid their respects. The honoured guest of the anniversary celebrations, the Nobel laureate, the Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician, Zhores Alferov, delivered a report about breakthrough technologies of the 20th century at the opening of the international Science — for the Innovative Development of Society scientific-practical conference. In his opinion, the most interesting directions in Belarus today are quantum optics and physics and a huge potential in the field of biology, especially in its combination with medicine, information technologies and new diagnostic methods. “I have always rated Belarusian science very high. Today Belarus is among the leaders in post-Soviet territory, first of all, because it develops on the basis of high technologies and hi-tech industries. And here, people cannot do without the Academy of Sciences,” said Zhores Alferov, confirming that he is ready to take part in the creation of the academic university, while this is provided by the recently developed program of improvement of scientific field of Belarus. A similar university has already operated for more than 10 years under the Russian Academy of Sciences. The main thing in its work is the preparation of scientific manpower, education in graduate school and magistracy. According to the Nobel laureate, the most advanced systems 2014 беларусь.belarus

DATE of education, both from scientific and technological point of view, should become an important component of the academic university. According to him, breakthrough directions of the future are the unification of biology and medicine, diagnostics and information technologies. Opening the conference, the Chairman of Presidium of the NAS, Vladimir Gusakov, asked delegates not to forget that the appearance of the scientific field today is tomorrow’s appearance of society. Priorities of research are to be determined taking into account the future. Fundamental research includes nanotechnologies, nanomaterials, space, physics, chemistry and mathematics. Applied research should include mechanical engineering, agrarian and biotechnologies. All this should work for the country and the development of its economy. Just on the eve of the anniversary our Academy of Sciences published the top ten achievements of the year. Physicists, for example, created a new kind of hyperbolic meta-material with unique characteristics: on the one hand, they are absolutely absorbing; on the other hand, they are absolutely leaky. Mathematicians have created new models and methods of solving stability problems. Material scientists developed the technology for reception of current-carrying paints based on nano-sized silver particles that will help in the creation of electronic schemes. The list also included works of neurophysiologists, geophysicists, economists, agrarians, art historians and historians. In order to fully display the results of the innovative activity of our scientists, the NAS opened an exhibition of the latest developments, totalling nearly 500. During this time, the NAS also hosted the international Science — for the Innovative Development of Society scientific-practical conference and a formal meeting of the scientific community, where the best scientific countries were awarded.

Results should be seen in practice The main criterion of the working efficiency of scientists is the impact of the results of their work on the growth of the domestic economy. This was said by the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, when he presented doctor of science diplomas and professor certification to scientific and educational workers.

By Yuri Selivanov

Belta

Unmanned aerial vehicle “Berkut-1” was presented at the exhibition of the latest developments of Belarusian scientists

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he Head of State paid attention to the fact that last year was very important for domestic science. “Many lances were broken over the direction of the scientific domain of the country and its leader, the Academy of Sciences,” said the President. Alexander Lukashenko noted that, when starting transformations, the country accepted that cutting-edge science is not only a matter of prestige, but also one that guarantees the national safety of the state. “It is very important not to act rashly, but to build a strong Academy and other centres of science as sources of intellectual energy, whence it is possible to get innovative ideas for the successful development of the country,” the Head of State added. Alexander Lukashenko noted that the country tried to avoid radical, extreme measures and lean against the opinions of scientists. They actively participated in the development of the complex programme of improvement of the scientific sphere of Belarus, calculated for stage-by-stage modernisation. According to the President, its realisation will allow it to bring the organisational structure of the scientific branch into accord with the requirements of a modern Belarus. It will also provide a priority carrying out of ‘breakthrough research’ focused on innovative production and development of modern information, aerospace, chemical, biological, machine-building and agricultural technologies. Mr. Lukashenko expressed confidence that Belarusian researchers will take the most active part in its realisation. The President also pointed out that a component part of the program is the improvement of the system of preparation and the certification of scientific manpower; that it should provide an increase in the number of researchers, first of all in strategically important directions for the country, and the development of domestic scientific schools. Alexander Lukashenko presented diplomas to authors of fundamental works and breakthrough research in the field of natural, applied and humanitarian sciences. “The results gained by you confirm that Belarusian researchers take up advanced positions in different fields,” said the Head of State.

PRAGMATIC APPROACH

Export version The industrial field is the most important component of the national economy. Export orientation of industrial products has always been under the careful attention of the state, as it has brought tangible export revenues to the budget. A recent meeting with the President on relevant issues of the development of the industrial complex was focused, not only on the ability to produce a competitive high-tech product, but also on the ability to sell it in a reasonable timeframe.

here is a lack of customers today, and manufacturers will have to ‘catch’ their customers according to the rules of the ‘hunt’. If you do not use the adjusted strategies, do not know their ‘habitats’, you can end up with an empty ‘bag’. Let’s be honest, Belarusian suppliers have special problems with foreign deliveries. This is evidenced by the negative balance of foreign trade, and by the overfilled warehouses. Many companies try to attribute their failure to unfavourable factors such as stagnation in Russia, the economic crisis which has still not been overcome in the developed countries or revolutions and wars in some Middle East countries, traditional consumers of Belarusian products. However, a ‘favourable economic situation’ happens several times in a decade. During the mid2000s, when demand for our products was high, the price of energy and raw materials rose continuously, outstripping output prices. There are always negative factors in the world. Blaming them permanently for falling sales is the approach of a negligent pupil, who always has many reasons why he did not finish his homework. Maxim Poklonsky, from the IPM Business School, the Head of the Business

Academy for Owners project, sees the problem of exporters in a different way. As a consultant, he studied marketing technology in various enterprises, and noted that the sales and marketing departments of companies often ‘pay more attention to actions that play a small role in concluding a contract’. Maxim Poklonsky developed his own system of audit of functions in terms of their relevance to the sales. It turned out that the paperwork, assembly requisitions from contractors, only occupy 50th position. Actually, sending a quick note with the help of a computer or the receipt of a fax are simple functions in the complex business of marketing. But many employees of ‘foreign-economic’ departments do this work manually at Belarusian enterprises. The main problem is to find consumers, negotiate effectively with them, but not to draw up a contract. Mr. Poklonsky rightly believes that in order to establish successful sales in another country, it is obligatory to start with the analysis and formation of a ‘market map’. In his opinion, it is advisable to draw a diagram that shows the entire structure of the market: producers, intermediates and ultimate consumers, official and non-governmental organisations, which may influence the choice of consumers, and their opinion. It is very important to establish links between all market structures and to find ‘agents of influence’, to approach them and to work out alterna-

tive channels of distributions. In Europe, for example, the choice of materials in the construction industry is strongly affected by field associations. And it is very important to establish positive contacts with specialists, whose points of view are important in these organisations. In some cases, such contacts enable us to forego the need for investing heavily in the creation of a dealer network, advertising, expensive presentations and participation at exhibitions. However, alternative sales channels may be unique in each case, depending on the host country, goods, the level of competition and other factors.

Problem of choice Offering a wide range of goods is not always good for consumers, and it can provoke the emergence of ‘pain spots’, when the choice of goods turns into a painfully long process. The expert advises producers to try to save their buyers from discomfort. According to him, companies that produce laptops have made the lives of ordinary people hell. There are hundreds of models of different designs, screen sizes and other numerous characteristics. The number of options, depending on various parameters, is 2014 беларусь.belarus

PRAGMATIC APPROACH months or even a year and a half. It is normal, especially when it comes to developing new markets. But how does one monitor the work of marketers? How does one encourage them? If you just focus o n

almost infinite, and consumers come to a standstill. From Maxim Poklonsky’s point of view, until recently, the situation with tablets was rather good. “If you talk about colour, everything is simple: black or white,” explains the expert half-jokingly, or possibly half seriously. “It’s the same with the screen, performance and other parameters, so that even an ignorant technology consumer can quickly make an optimal choice.” In general, for sales to be successful, it is important to learn the consumer’s properties of their own products and the products of your competitors and then to compare it with requirements of your customers. Based on this analysis every marketing department has their own strategy of sales. They naturally focus on their products’ strengths and hide the weaknesses. “Without this principle, sales managers will be under attack during meetings,” said Maxim Poklonsky. “Contractors will always point to the weaknesses of your products, demanding discounts or other preferences.” Another problem with exports is the encouragement of staff. Deliveries abroad have one feature — the time from the first acquaintance with the potential client to concluding the contract and shipment of the product may take a few беларусь.belarus 2014

the concluded contracts, not every ‘freshman’ will survive the long months with minimum earnings. And managers have a destructive desire to grab what’s lying on the surface, rather than to ‘dig’ the market deeper, to find work for the future. In order to formalise the process, Mr. Poklonsky advises the use of so-called ‘sales funnel’ technology. It divides the journey of a client to cash desk (from the first acquaintance to shipment of goods) into a series of stages. Maxim Poklonsky identifies 70 of them. Due to such imaging, business leaders can always understand the level of their sales, estimate the prospects, encourage some employees, and hurry others.

Time is not cheap In general, Mr. Poklonsky can talk about the development of export sales for hours, giving numerous examples from his own experience of counselling Belarusian businesses. There are hundreds of nuances in the difficult task of conquering foreign markets and no universal approaches and strategies. Every company and its products should be carefully studied and examined, and then a strong marketing system skeleton should be built.

But there is one paradigm common for all industries and manufacturers: stable exports do not mature quickly. They must go through all the stages of ‘maturation’, including a serious preparatory phase, which takes time, specialists and money to pay for their services. Of course, there is always luck, when there is a deficiency of some products on the global markets and customers ‘consume’ almost any goods, not particularly paying attention to the price. But it is an accident, like receiving a good poker hand. Industrial production is a fascinating process, but it is not gambling, which requires mathematically verified approaches. Unfortunately, judging by the backstage notes of the participants of the Forum of exporters which was held in Minsk, the demand for analysis and conceptual development is not high among domestic enterprises. Perhaps it is the reason why exporting in Belarus is not the most successful indicator. However, there are pleasant exceptions. Although the year was difficult for the country, and many of the planned economic indicators were not reached, the situation with innovative development is much better. The share of innovative products in the total volume of products sent to customers amounted to 18 percent, as much as was planned. The volume of exports of high-tech products, expected to reach $5 billion was, in fact, $11 billion. At the same time, the share of such products in the total volume of exports was up to 20 percent, when the proposed plan was only 11 percent. But technological progress is developing, and everything that is considered a high-tech product today, will be commonplace tomorrow. “That is why we constantly exclude some of them from the list under the heading ‘High-tech products’,” says the Chairman of the State Committee on Science and Technology Alexander Shumilin. “Internal combustion engines of standards Euro-4, Euro-5, produced by Minsk Motor Plant JSC have just been excluded from the list. The same fate was page

PRAGMATIC APPROACH

shared by the giant tires produced by Belshina, loading and transport vehicles, special purpose vehicles produced by Minsk Tractor Works and Minsk Automobile Works, Amkodor JSC.” Innovation and science cannot be separated; in any case, these two areas are very dependent on knowledgeintensity of GDP. This indicator is not impressive in our country. What level was it, following the results of the last year? The Republican budget for science to GDP in 2013 amounted to 0.3 percent, that is higher than in 2012 (0.25 percent). In general, taking into account the expenditure of their own funds, costs spent on science and innovation, this makes 0.6 percent to GDP, which is lower than in 2012, when the figure was 0.67 percent. Nevertheless, it is surely insufficient. Therefore, the task is to achieve at least 1 percent, and this question is constantly being raised in

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At the Midea-Horizont Company, which successfully sells its production

Parliament. After all, world’s common level is 2.5-3 percent and 3.5 percent in most developed countries. How much i s investme nt in Belarusian science repaid? We counted and found out that today Br1 Rouble from the budget spent on science brings Br44 Roubles income. And now, we observe a good period of growth (40 percent compared to the last year), and this figure will grow. Our economy is still down with that ‘Soviet disease’ — resistance to innovation, reluctance to change. Are there any preconditions to ensure that the program of improving the scientific sphere will reverse the situation? Perhaps this question is quite timely. Starting this year, we seriously stake on the commercialisation of science, and this will increase the interest of the real sector in the implementation of novelties. For example, in our previous legislation, in order to use the scientific development, one must money up front. Sometimes, very large sums must be paid at the same time. Not every organisation has such opportunities. It was decided to allow enterprises to pay the owner of the technology that sum gradually, while the product is being used.

There were ideas to allow the use of technology by taking less money than was spent on its creation, for the purpose to bring it to plants. There were such ideas. But under our system of control, they are fraught with problems. If a director of an institute would sell the product cheaper, then there are no guarantees that tomorrow’s supervisors will not come and say that he caused a loss to the state, and put the difference in price into his pocket. Therefore, it is easier to put the development on the shelf. New rules must break this deadlock. However, there is still an impression that the innovation process lacks a certain natural ease. All reasonable measures have to be literally pushed to overcome the resistance. What does such a competent speaker as Chairman of the State Committee on Science and Technology, Alexander Shumilin, thinks about such situation? The developed program of the improvement in the scientific sphere is aimed at making innovative development logical. For example, we began to develop venture financing. National laboratories will be created, salaries of scientists will be gradually increased and the mechanism of payment of royalties will be improved. We will attract young people to science through a package of social guarantees. We will help inventors to patent their inventions using a special fund, and will improve the co-ordination of all participants in the innovation process. This, and many other things, is provided by the program. However, it is impossible to anticipate all the twists and turns on the way of development, and that is why the sphere of science is doomed to eternal progression. By Veniamin Mishin

2014 беларусь.belarus

Alexander Ruzhechka

EXHIBITION

26 countries of the world participated in the Book Trade Fair

Books come to visit Minsk hosts 21st International Book Trade Fair

ast week, flags from 26 countries flapped in the chill February air, their movement reflected in the glass facade of the National Exhibition Centre, BelExpo. With around six hundred exhibitors, there was enough variety for those hunting for interesting publications, and that’s without the 170 events that were scheduled in the program. However, the event wasn’t limited to the walls of just one location. For example, the Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus hosted the presentation of books of the legendary series Lives of Remarkable People, from the Moscow Publishing House, Molodaya Gvardiya. The winners of the 53rd Art of Book National Contest received their awards in the Palace of the Republic. The round table ‘Creative Connections of Writers of Belarus and Russia Today’ was held in the Union of Writers of Belarus. But here, in the building in the Yanka Kupala Street was a real freedom for book lovers. The central exposition was made in the form of an open book, a symbol of communion with spirituality and an invitation to co-operate, беларусь.belarus 2014

with the publishers’ stands resembling these symbols. It is not a coincidence, as the First Deputy Information Minister Lilia Ananich, explained, “The best slogan for the exhibition will be ‘In the Year of Hospitality, all books are our guests, all countries are welcome!’ An open book is an open country.” Of course, the central exposition contained a tribute to a man, thanks to whom we will celebrate the 500th anniversary of printing in 2017 — the Polotsk citizen, Frantsisk Skorina. A number of exhibitions immed i ately d re w atte nt i on , namely Memory. To the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Belarus and Hockey Minsk. Book and Sport, where one could see real rarities from the collections of the Book Chamber. The fair is created for both that wish to see, and for those looking to purchase books. The fact that Belarusian books are in demand is confirmed each year by the amount of activity of the buyers. The Executive Director of the exhibition, Alexander Vashkevich, is happy that sales at the exhibition are growing, “Here, one can buy the best works of Belarusian authors, both on the stands of

publishers, and in the department of the central bookstore, especially since there is a chance to buy them at lower prices because of the system of discounts. The second floor of the exhibition centre was like a time machine. One climbed the stairs and stepped into the past: Old postcards with images of Belarus, an old printing press, exhibits from the First World War and much more. In front of us there was an exhibition dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the joint project of the laureate of the Presidential Award ‘For Spiritual Revival’, Vladimir Likhodedov, the newspapers SB. Belarus Segodnya and Zvyazda Publishing House. Here was a unique opportunity to see exhibits from the country’s only museum of the First World War in the village, Zabrodie, created by the artist Boris Tsitovich, made more poignant by the fact that this year marks one hundred years since the beginning of the conflict. Postcards from his collection allowed you to look at it from both sides of the barricades. Here is a downed Russian plane; there is a German one… It is interesting to trace on the photos, how the appearance of our cities have changed, to find out what were the key buildings of the old days. And here is another surprise. It is unlikely that many people have had a chance to flip through the pages of rare, 12th century manuscripts, but a facsimile edition of the Polotsk Gospel allowed everyone to do it. This volume was on a pedestal and was accessible to anyone. And there, wearing a bright blue and white sports uniform, young hockey players happily showed exemplars of the Encyclopaedia of Hockey, a wonderful gift for the upcoming World Championship, which will take place in Belarus later this year. Minsk International Fair in the Year of Hospitality opened new perspectives for cultural and business cooperation. This point was stressed by the President of Belarus in his welcome to the participants of the 21st international book forum. By Veniamin Mikhalev

TOPIC IT: NEW GENERATION

Investment into intelligence People in Belarus are already speaking of the High-Tech Park as a successful ‘factory of intelligence’, which continues to grow and develop rapidly. Over 140 companies and firms are now resident at the High-Tech Park, employing 16,000 experts, making products claiming worldwide demand. The Park is clear proof that investments into intelligence can be profitable, creating the perfect environment for the further development of highly remunerative IT business.

he nine-storey building at the High-Tech Park is located on Academician Ku p r e v i c h S t r e e t , housing a number of companies, as well as the Administration of the High-Tech Park. The interior of the former Institute of Physics has its own minimalistic style: well-fitting the work of those within. The daughter of an academic friend agrees heartily. A linguist by education, she is currently employed as a business analyst at the High-Tech Park, supervising a project. She believes that opportunities are being fully grasped. Next year, the High-Tech Park will mark its 10th anniversary. It’s not been long since the signing by the President of a decree to create the site, on September 22nd, 2005. Speaking to Valery Tsepkalo, the Director of the Park’s Administration and a Candidate of Legal Sciences, we asked not about plans to celebrate the anniversary, since the Park only began work in June, 2006. Rather, we talked about the extent to which the High-Tech Park shapes the Belarusian economy,

and whether it has helped raise our competitiveness. It’s fascinating to hear about the advantages of the Park, which draw investments from domestic and foreign companies. Belarus was once the ‘assembly shop’ of the Soviet Union, and continues to produce highly-trained staff. Our IT educational system is unique.

Belarus also boasts special legislation and concessionary terms for those operating at the High-Tech Park. In fact, Belarus’ ex-territorial principle of registration is unique within the CIS, offering special terms to all companyresidents regardless of where their offices are located. Those in Brest, Gomel and Mogilev have access to the educational, research, professional and infrastructural potential of the whole system of the Park. Mr. Tsepkalo emphasises that, on a trip to the London Stock Exchange,

he was happy to hear from a foreign colleague that the Belarusian High-Tech Park is known to all those working in the IT sphere. His face lights up at the recollection. After all, the Park is his brainchild. He has every reason to hope that the Park’s residents will see success not only in Belarus but in the wider world. Some feel safe only when following tried and tested formulae but you took another path in conceiving the HighTech Park. What inspired you? During my time as an ambassador in the USA, I visited Silicon Valley, which specialises in information and communication technologies, making IT hardware and software and designing microchips. I lectured and met some of our successful Belarusians working at international corporations or starting their own businesses. I couldn’t help but wonder why this was happening overseas rather than in my country. Why was it necessary to go abroad in order to achieve something? I realised that those achieving success in another country could surely be even more successful at home, under the appropriate conditions. As I’ve already said, those meetings inspired me to 2014 беларусь.belarus

HI-TECH PARK

Valery Tsepkalo — the Director of the High-Tech Park's Administration

create the High-Tech Park in Belarus. It took several years to implement the idea, to which I gave a great deal of thought. I wrote By the Road of Dragon States, detailing development in Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea: countries whose economies have overtaken many of those in Western Europe. The Belarusian High-Tech Park is one of the largest IT-clusters in Central and Eastern Europe. As its head, how do you estimate its work and main achievements? Which are the most successful residents and do you have many customers? Our customers are primarily from developed countries, actively implementing information-communication technologies within state bodies and enterprises. Those buying Belarusian software hail from 52 countries, including the USA, Germany, the UK and Russia. Among our partners are Korea, Singapore and the Republic of South Africa. In truth, customers can come from any country, since IT is used universally. As regards the level of the High-Tech Park, figures best illustrate our success. In 2005, in total, Belarusian software enterprises — owned by the state and privately беларусь.belarus 2014

— earned nearly $14m. In creating the High-Tech Park, we sought to see this rise to $300-350m (from exports) within 10-15 years. At the time, it seemed a huge figure, proceeding from the fact that this rivalled the value added created by BelAZ [the Belarusian Automobile Works — which supplies heavy-duty dump trucks to world markets] during its best years. Its contribution to the GDP was almost $300m. We now rival and surpass this figure, with the Park having earned almost $500m in 2013, after just eight years of work: a rise of more than 30-fold since 2005. Our contribution to GDP is comparable with that of our giants combined: Minsk Automobile Works, the Belarusian Automobile Works and Minsk Tractor Works. This is despite their many years of operation and the huge public funds invested. We only import about $3-4m of components and all that we export is pure added value. We’ve created a mature, established computer programming industry in Belarus and are earning independently. In order to start up the Park, we asked the President for a commercial credit — equivalent to $300,000. We returned it with interest within two years.

Were you afraid at the beginning? Certainly, as there were certain risks. We lacked experience but we wanted to create something new and interesting. As a diplomat, you must enjoy some well-established connections. Did this help you in knowing which direction to take? Certainly, my time as a diplomat helped me in making external partnerships: attracting foreign companies and investors into Belarus. We had reserves to call upon. However, it has taken time to develop our programmers and heads of Park company-residents: intellectually and organisationally. It’s been a cumulative success, thanks to all those involved. We can certainly speak of success, as we’ve seen steady growth; measured in percentage terms, we’ve grown by 40-50 percent annually. This is perhaps more than any other branch in the Belarusian national economy. Globally, average growth in the IT industry doesn’t exceed 5-7 percent. Our industry is exportoriented, which has inspired rapid growth: far more so than if we were relying on home sales. We see the whole world as our market, which is a serious competitive advantage. It expands our horizons and allows us to embrace new technologies, forms of business management and staff motivation. We began by using outsourcing as a good way of transferring technologies. This helped us to understand world trends and to follow the dominant technologies of today and those emerging for the future. Our next stage will be to set up joint laboratories with universities abroad, allowing our students to learn about the latest technologies. Naturally, we’ll continue to produce our own products, taking risks in development and promotion. Would you call the High-Tech Park a transnational corporation? It s s t r u c t u r e i s s i mp l e : a n Administration and company-residents. The Administration exists as a state institution without budgetary financing, paid for by page

TOPIC IT: NEW GENERATION

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our companies (which contribute one percent of their earnings). Our largest companies are already transnational corporations, which have outgrown the limits of their national borders. EPAM Systems, for example, has representations in 12 countries. What can you tell us about your experts and company-residents? About 16,000 programmers work at the Park, their number annually increasing by nearly 2,000. We have 140 company-residents and are now no longer making such efforts to attract more. Instead, we’re focusing on developing our existing companies and finding more opportunities for them. Of course, we have different companies both in the number of employed specialists and undertaken projects. Are you still open to Belarusian companies? Certainly. We have a principle of exterritoriality: a branch principle. Like any other branch of the economy, we aren’t limited to a single territory. It’s especially true of information technology. Where it may be desirable for a petrochemical cluster to be located in one place, it’s not relevant for IT companies, who can spread across the country and worldwide. Think of Microsoft, Apple and Google. Each has offices across the USA and abroad. Employees need only insert a personal card into their computer and input a password to gain access to the system and social network of the company: all its tools and knowledge. Work can be monitored centrally, so it doesn't matter where staff are located. Our companies also have an internal portal with access codes. Our network allows managerial heads to keep track of all information, so we have companies located in Brest, Gomel and other cities. Saying this, 90 percent are located in the capital — in Minsk. Why has the High-Tech Park decided to develop information technologies rather than, for example, bio or nanotechnologies?

The IT sphere can be entered with little more than a computer costing $1,500 and your knowledge. That’s all! Other branches require huge investment. For example, Biocluster in Singapore has cost nearly $500m to set up, from state investment. They also spend $200m annually on purchasing the latest equipment, reagents and mediums. Nanotechnologies and laser technologies also require huge financial investment. Who would give us this money? If the state did so, as in Skolkovo, what would be its economic return? In creating the Park, we never relied on budgetary financing. We began with nothing — just a table, chair and computer. We were focusing on earning money independently, so we choose only those projects with a quick financial return. Naturally, we conduct scientific research and promote developments — but only with commercial

ming engineers, you can begin developing your own software — such as Viber or the World of Tanks: well-known today all over the world. Which principles guide the HighTech Park’s development? We’re following two directions. The first is outsourcing: the development of computer programs by order for clients abroad. This has helped us learn how to work with foreign customers, fulfilling their requirements and understanding their mentality. We’ve gained knowledge of working on foreign markets. It’s a ‘safe’ bet, with fewer market risks or fluctuations, allowing the Park to grow significantly. However, the profits are modest. The second direction is the creation of our own software, which is far more financially risky, with greater organisational expenses and no guarantee of success. We have to develop each product and promote it on the world market.

It has taken time to develop our programmers and heads of Park company-residents: intellectually and organisationally. It’s been a cumulative success, thanks to all those involved results in mind, so that investments can be recouped via profit. This is the basic difference between the High-Tech Park and the Academy of Sciences; the latter focuses on scientific research for its own sake rather than for commercial profit. The second reason that we chose the IT field is that it’s easier to be competitive at a global level in this sphere. A small country like Belarus needs to concentrate its efforts in one direction, or just a small number — rather than trying to embrace everything at once. It’s then easier to gain a ‘cumulative’ effect. Once you have a certain number of program-

However, success brings far greater profit than outsourcing. For successful development, the High-Tech Park needs both models; they naturally complement each other, helping balance fluctuations on the world market. We know that Belarusian programmers are happy to fulfil outsourcing orders for foreign companies but which High-Tech Park projects are brand-named, focused on domestic and foreign markets? For a long time, our enterprises failed to make use of IT, using old methods. People were fearful of computers. However, when export2014 беларусь.belarus

Alexander Ruzhechka

HI-TECH PARK

One of the company-residents at the HTP

focused IT began to develop, fulfilling orders from foreign enterprises, we realised the necessity of working in a new way. Our enterprises began to direct attention towards modern technologies of management, which are inconceivable without IT. Such branches as the automobile industry, petrochemistry and banks began to use information technologies. High-Tech Park clients include the Bank of America, Citibank, UBS and Sberbank. Among traditional branch enterprises are Siemens, Philips, Samsung, Coca-Cola and Colgate. We have Delta Air Lines, Aeroflot and Aero Mexico and, on the petro-chemical side, Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell and British Petroleum. Our Belarusian clients are Belorusneft, Belneftekhim, Belarusian Automobile Works, Gomselmash, Minsk Tractor Works and Keramin. The latter was one of the first Belarusian enterprises to implement modern systems of control in manufacture and sale. Do you have enough experts at the High-Tech Park? And how do Park беларусь.belarus 2014

residents liaise with Belarusian educational institutions? Unfortunately, we lack enough experts, especially since demand for them is growing constantly. It’s clear that programmers are essential to the successful work of IT companies — on the external and domestic market. Our Park residents appreciate this, so are eager to invest in supporting university laboratories. We’ve opened six departments of the Belarusian State University and the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics at the High-Tech Park, and we hold an annual ‘Day of Knowledge’ for senior pupils. In this way, we’re trying to guide them towards the IT professions. Is o u r s y s t e m o f e d u c at i o n adequately training today’s IT experts and which of our higher educational institutions is best adapted to the modern day world? Most of our universities rely on budgetary funding. Sadly, there’s a serious problem: teachers are aging. It’s a situation we’ve noted for the past 7-8

years. Universities cannot stop the most talented people from resigning. Where Chinese universities may have six people applying for each position of IT professor, we may not even have one applicant. We’ve partially solved the problem by creating joint scientific-practical laboratories at various higher educational institutions countrywide. Meanwhile, employees of company-residents give lectures free of charge. In their first two-three years of study, students at the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics acquire basic skills in programming. We still have teachers for this purpose. However, universities almost never offer practical experience. We rely on our laboratories for this; students choose those most suitable to receive practical knowledge. The same problem is seen at universities in Ukraine and Russia. They teach what they know, instead of what’s required on the labour market. Do you intend to create a professional system of staff page training?

TOPIC IT: NEW GENERATION

We already have a training centre and we may transform it into an academy or institute, teaching those technologies which are in demand. We want to provide a high level of teaching but it won’t be cheap for students. Does the High-Tech Park have a database of experts working abroad and, if so, do you co-operate with them?

No, we don’t keep such data. However, programmers aren’t leaving our country in any greater numbers than they are leaving other branches. There’s no reason for our experts to emigrate if they’re paid the same salary as they’d earn in Moscow or Berlin. Do foreign experts come to us? Ye s . P l e a s i n g l y, R u s s i a n s , Ukrainians, Frenchmen and Germans

Alexander Ruzhechka

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work here. It is possible to achieve success in our country. Other nations have noticed this and are keen to reproduce our success, creating an environment able to develop information technologies. All the CIS countries, without exception, are taking this path. We’ve been advising Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. They are eager to create their own innovative infrastructures, similar to the High-Tech Park. All understand that the future of their country is connected with creating an ‘economy of knowledge’. In one interview you mentioned that you had found your work at the Park psychologically challenging, as well as extremely fulfilling. Do you believe that we spend our whole lives ‘growing’ and fulfilling our potential and, if so, what aspirations remain for you? The High-Tech Park, as a national project, is huge, so there are many opportunities. We’ll continue seeking paths of development; I’m sure that many interesting projects lie ahead. What are your personal plans? I’m most focused on the HighTech Park but I also write at the weekends. I’ve published several books, of which I’m proud. I’m now working on a book detailing the history of people’s relationship with property. I think that the possession of property influences our mentality, character and psycholog y : e ven our intelligence. Erich Fromm’s To Have or To Be contrasts possession with being. Of course, ownership of a car or handbag is different to business ownership. The modernisation of Japan, Singapore, Korea and China has been based on private ownership: fostering a personal interest in a country’s success. In having a personal business share in enterprises, we have a vested interest in their achievements. Interviewed by Valentina Zhdanovich and Ivan Zhdanovich

2014 беларусь.belarus

gifted

Talent spotting Teachers sometimes spot children’s talents where parents fail, allowing an early thirst for arts and sciences to be guided

“W

e start paying attention to talent even i n k i n d e rgar ten, where children join at the age of about two — just after learning to speak,” asserts the Gomel Regional Executive Committee’s Education Department. Staff explain, “In pre-school establishments, time is devoted to teachers working closely with children — including focusing on particular interests. Early development studios are also gaining huge popularity at present.” Around 2000 under-6s are already listed among the Gomel Region’s talented children, having demonstrated artistic capabilities or those of another nature. Of course, these young citizens form the backbone of our future intellectual and artistic elite. Gomel has established its own model for developing young talent, sending identified pupils to the city’s Leader School, where 32 clubs are offered, extending the work of the school curriculum. The best teachers are employed to train these youngsters, who already number around 700; most are school Olympiad winners. беларусь.belarus 2014

Teachers of their own The Gomel Region’s School of Programming is one of the most widely known in the country, numbering Mikhail Dolinsky among its staff. The famous associate professor at Gomel Kuleshov State University’s Mathematical Problems Department has been investigating how best to teach children computer programming skills since the late 1990s, resulting in the Gomel Region claiming 23 medals at international informatics Olympiads. Initially, his trainees were fourth and fifth grade pupils but, later, Mr. Dolinsky realised that younger children were capable — even those in the first year, yet to learn to read fluently. “I always do my best to ensure that my pupils are motivated, including introducing an element of competition, so they can see how they are performing in relation to their friends, via a results table,” he explains. Interestingly, ‘computer star’ Gennady Korotkevich was once part of Mr. Dolinsky’s team of young protégés. His recollections reveal the boy’s talent from the earliest of ages. Mr. page

Gennady Korotkevich started his trips to international Olympiads in 2006

TOPIC IT: NEW GENERATION

There is always creative atmosphere at Mozyr computer club

Dolinsky tells us, “I gave Gennady a book to read and code but heard nothing for a couple of months. Then, his mother appeared out of the blue with a notebook of programmes. Gennady had waited until after the summer football season he began to work. As a second year pupil, he came second in a national Olympiad, which enabled him to enter a technical university without taking an examination. Once, he discovered Archimedes’ Law independently — assuming that such a force must exist on seeing an object floating in water.”

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Parental support The Korotkevich family keeps a map at home, marking the countries visited by Gennady since 2006, when he won a prize at an International Informatics Olympiad (for schoolchildren). Mexico, Canada, Croatia, Bulgaria and Thailand are already indicated. His parents, who lecture at Gomel’s Frantsisk Skorina State

The Gomel Region’s School of Programming is one of the most widely known in the country. Since the late 1990s, its representatives have claimed 23 medals at different international informatics Olympiads

University, never dreamt of him travelling so widely or that their son would be inspired by programming. Mother Lyudmila admits, “We’ve done nothing special. A child cannot but be attracted by computers when their parents are programmers. Since the first years of childhood, he had a computer within sight. It was a challenge for me to clearly explain mathematical laws to him but, where I failed, my husband succeeded. He turned everything into a game and Gena caught on…” Continuing to stress that they did ‘nothing special’ at home, his mother reveals. “We never scolded him for school marks, simply being happy for him to ‘cope’; when he grew tired, we took a break and always spent weekends in the countryside or at the leisure centre near Gomel in summer. We also began playing tennis. Apart from improving his health, we wanted him to learn the skill of losing without becoming upset.” 2014 беларусь.belarus

PERSONNEL To be continued

Five years ago, G omel was a re g i on a l I T t re n d s e t t e r a m on g youngsters but other cities are now catching up. Around five years ago, local young people in Mozyr began showing interest in sports programming and made a true breakthrough. In 2007, Alexey Ropan, Yevgeny Gritskevich and Alexander Kulitsky won the Russian Sports Programming Oly mpi a d ( for te ams of s cho ol children), hosted by St. Petersburg. In 2008, Alexey Ropan won bronze at an international Olympiad in Egypt and, last year, Sergey Kulik captured gold at a prestigious competition. “Besides Sergey Kulik, three of our club members — Alexey Ropan, Ye vgeny Gr itske vich and Adam Bardashevich — have won international informatics Olympiads,” notes their full-time teacher, Alexey Borunov. “Alexey Ropan is among the top 26 programmers worldwide, while Sergey Kulik has won three international Olympiads. With this in mind, our efforts have clearly not been in vain. Last year, Sergey entered the Belarusian State University’s Applied Mathematics Department and also coached children for informatics Olympiads at the Zubrenok Recreational Camp’s summer school.” The Mozyr stars are gaining a reputation: Alexey Ropan is a student at the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics and captains an adult programming team; Anton Malashenkov, Georgy Konopl i ch and Vl a d isl av S obi n study at the St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics; and Alexe y Ropan and Ye vgeny Gritskevich also work at a company i nv o l v e d i n p r o d u c i n g Ya n d e x software. No doubt, this is just the beginning of the great path ahead. By Violetta Dralyuk

беларусь.belarus 2014

IT specialists are appreciated Polesie State University, jointly with Centre of Banking Technologies, launch preparation of IT specialists

“F

or several years the market has been evidently experiencing the lack of labour resources in the IT sphere, though five years ago it was very difficult to forecast the size of the staffing deficit. However, the demand for IT specialists is currently extremely high, and this also fully includes the banking sphere,” notes the Director of the Centre of Banking Technologies, Viktor Kosobudsky. At present, in his opinion, Belarus experiences a big lack of competent IT specialists. The Head of the Centre of Banking Technologies explains this by stating that sometimes the education system simply doesn’t catch up with the training needs in this area. “Moreover, not every teacher is interested in business problems, therefore it’s often necessar y to

retrain graduates after recruitment,” he added. Long-term, mutually beneficial co-operation between the educational establishments and potential employers may become a significant step in solving this problem. Starting from this year, preparation of IT specialists will be conducted by the Polesie State University with active participation by the Centre of Banking Technologies. Polesie State University was opened at the Pinsk State Banking College of the National Bank of Belarus and at a branch of the Belarusian State Economic University in Pinsk in 2006. In 2013, the university invited enrolees to study a new specialism, popular in the market, ‘Information Technologies in Financial Credit System’. By Vladimir Samsonov

TOPIC

Breakthrough in online games

he Belarusian World of Tanks computer game, made by Game Stream, is one of the most well-known worldwide, with about 75 million players. The tank battle simulation was launched in August 2010 and quickly gained popularity among children and adults across the globe. Authoritative domestic and international experts have acknowledged World of Tanks as the most recognisable Belarusian IT-brand abroad. So… what’s next for lovers of online games?

Belta

IT: NEW GENERATION

Most popular worldwide online-game with Belarusian ‘registration’ And how is IT developing in Belarus? Company Director Viktor Novochadov reveals all… In recent years, Game Stream — sited at Minsk’s High-Tech Park — has increased its employees several-fold: to more than 1,500 people currently. What is the company doing now and how does it plan to develop? Currently, Game Stream is working in two software directions: computer games (in particular World of Tanks) and systems to optimise advertising online.

At the moment, we have no plans to launch anything else. With our chronic lack of personnel, our resources are not sufficient even for World of Tanks. We have to produce updates, introduce new services, improve graphics and the physical characteristics of moving objects, and prepare releases for other regions. Unfortunately, I can’t say more, due to commercial confidentiality; our rivals are always listening in. Is it difficult to find skilled staff for your company in Belarus? 2014 беларусь.belarus

BRANDS When people love their work, when an enterprise provides permanent professional advancement, when results are the highest, with prestigious achievements, and when you hear daily raves from users, believe me, you don’t have any problems in recruitment or retention of staff. Our company is steadily growing in size, by a hundred people a month, and we only employ the best, who want to work here. Do many Belarusians work at Game Stream? How does the level of Belarusian programming compare to that in the world IT-market? Because of its history, Belarus is one of the top countries worldwide for training programmers. Our specialists are highly-intelligent, creative and unconventional in their approach to solving tasks, truly using creative thinking. Silicon Valley is known to have Russian speakers among about half of the workforce and relies on various Belarusian personnel. Programmers from Belarus have proven themselves at the highest level professionally and in their dedication. O ur comp any us es not on ly Belarusian programmers but specialists from across the CIS and beyond. Our company in particular, and Belarus as a whole, is attractive to foreign, highlyqualified personnel. We offer good living conditions, healthcare and education. In your opinion, what’s the recipe for success with World of Tanks? Can other game simulators — such as World of Warplanes or World of Warships — repeat it? First, I’ll list the major characteristics of World of Tanks: simplicity and accessibility, an absence of cruelty or violence, and equality of national, political and other characteristics, while retaining reality. It requires group collaboration and inspires a study of war history and battle strategy. It appeals to people of all ages and professions, men and women, in any country. World of Warplanes and World of Warships are magnificent беларусь.belarus 2014

Because of its history, Belarus is one of the top countries worldwide for training programmers. Our specialists are highly-intelligent, creative and unconventional in their approach to solving tasks, truly creative thinking computer games but I do happen to believe that they won’t match our success — at least for another decade. Do we have the necessary conditions for IT development in Belarus or do we need more legislation? I think that Belarus has all necessary conditions and infrastructure to develop its IT-sector. As a good example, the HiTech Park has worked successfully for many years. The online game made by our programmers has won the Golden Joystick Awards’ foremost prize twice over the last two years. I can’t help but view this as an unprecedented achievement: one reached in today’s IT-environment in Belarus. Does Game Stream like to promote itself as a Belarusian company? And do you think its work (in particular World of Tanks) has influenced how

people worldwide view Belarus and our software programmers? Game Stream is certainly a Belarusian company — as perceived by customers and potential employees. Our software, including World of Tanks, is known worldwide as Belarusian. World of Tanks online game from Belarus leads globally. Our business is a Belarusian creative laboratory: a union of likeminded people and experimentalists. Even although the company employs quite a few workers from neighbouring countries and beyond, it will be situated in Belarus forever. This is our principal position. Finally, I’ll share some good news. Game Stream has just received a special prize from an international jury as the most known Belarusian brand in the Brand of the Year 2013 Contest. By Yuri Chernyakevich

TOPIC IT: NEW GENERATION

Artur Prupas

Championships and Olympiads — between sessions Many domestic and foreign IT companies look at Belarusian students as potential future programmers, while they are still studying

ow are the first Soviet space shuttle ‘Buran’ and Belarus connected? I think this question would puzzle many people, including experts from the popular TV game ‘What? Where? When?’. The answer is quite simple: Belarusian specialists participated in the development of the automatic landing program of the Soviet shuttle which enabled ‘Buran’ to land safely in Baikonur. That first flight was, unfortunately, the shuttle’s last. But that is another story. Ever since the Soviet Union times, Belarus was famous for engineering stuff and the best groundwork in the field of information technology. The creation of the landing program for ‘Buran’ is clear evidence of this fact, as is the fact that the first personal computer in the Soviet Union, the EU-1840, was produced at Minsk Production Association of Computer Engineering. There have always been a great number of talented people in the sphere of IT technology. There are a lot of them today, and many examples of it. We should not forget that a couple of years ago, our country received a status of a space nation, operating the first Belarusian satellite and employing hundreds of specialists to work on the creation of it, including the best programmers. The professionalism and competence of the Belarusian IT workers has not diminished over the years. Basic confirmation of that are the Viktories of students of native universities at many prestigious international competitions in programming. For example, last summer, Belarusian representatives won prizes in the finals of the IT-Planet International Olympiad. A graduate student of the Belarusian State University of Informatics and 2014 беларусь.belarus

YOUNG AND TALENTED Radioelectronics, Ilya Sibiryatkin won first prize, and students of the Brest State Technical University, Andrey Klimovich and Vadim Blinkovsky, were awarded the third prize. A lot of people have written about the achievements and Viktories of another Belarusian, Gennady Korotkevich, who studies today at St. Petersburg National Research University. Born in Gomel, he attracted the attention of specialists to his personality, not when he was a student, but during his school years. Today, Gennady is a participant and a winner of many prestigious tournaments, and last year he took gold at the Yandex Algorithm Open Programming Championship, which involved more than three thousand computer geeks from 84 countries. Belarusians can also boast Viktories in team competitions. For example, students of the Belarusian State University recently won the silver medal at the prestigious World Programming Championship. This Wor l d C h ampi ons h ip i s wor t h mentioning separately. About 30,000 students, from more than 120 universities of 91 countries participated in the qualifying rounds. In the finals, where teams from 120 universities of 36 countries took part, passions ran high. But the students of the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science of the Belarusian State University, Roman Udovichenko, Andrey Malevich and Sergey Zhgirovsky managed to charge into the lead, overtaking opponents from Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts, both recognised leaders in programming. Roman Udovichenko and Sergey Zhgirovsky, with whom I was able to meet and talk, said that to win a ‘silver medal’ was not easy for the team. For more than a year, the guys were getting ready for the championship, attending at least one, five-hour training session per week. In addition, they had to attend other training sessions, to prepare for беларусь.belarus 2014

diploma defence and pass state examinations, because at that time they were in their final year at university. Eleven tasks, five hours, one computer were the conditions of the Championship. During this time they needed to solve the maximum amount of tasks proposed. “The opponents were very serious, because they have all gone through regional selections, which means that the championship was attended by the best teams from around the world,” said Roman.

Many Belarusian programmers, who got excellent knowledge in higher educational institutions of the country, successfully work for many prestigious companies around the world, including Yandex, Mail.ru, Facebook and Google Roman finished regular secondary school, and many times participated in the International Olympiads on Informatics. During his studies at the BSU, he twice reached the finals of the international competition in programming, the TopCoder Open, held in the United States, and was twice among the finalists of the Russian Code Cup Championship,

held in Moscow by Mail.ru. Before entering the universities, both Sergey and Andrey studied at the BSU Lyceum, attending Physics and Mathematics, and participated in school competitions. Roman is convinced that the potential of Belarusian students is no worse than that of their peers from other countries. According to him, in order to succeed, one must develop one’s own abilities, and it is obligatory to participate in various contests, competitions and conferences. The Belarusian medal holders successfully graduated from their ‘alma mater’ and now work in prestigious companies connected with, who would have doubted it, IT. Sergey Zhgirovsky and Roman Udovichenko apply their knowledge in the Minsk office of the Yandex subsidiary, YandexBel. Andrey Malevich moved to the USA to work for Facebook, receiving an offer to work there during his studies at the Belarusian State University. “But that does not mean that our participation in the Olympiads is over. International competitions are held each year for all programmers of the world, not just the students,” Roman Udovichenko explained. Not too far off, I think, Viktories will come to other talented Belarusians in such competitions. IT technologies in Belarus and throughout the world are growing rapidly, and need highclass specialists today. Therefore, both domestic and foreign companies are hunting for them. And often, seeing the potential of students, offer them a job, even when they have not yet graduated. The most important thing for an employer is not a ‘document’, but real knowledge and skills. Many Belarusian programmers, who got excellent knowledge in higher educational institutions of the country, successfully work for many prestigious companies around the world, including Yandex, Mail.ru, Facebook and Google. By Yuri Chernyakevich

TOPIC

Vadim Kondrashov

IT: NEW GENERATION

It is written, as it is heard

oon the national segment of the world network Internet will mark its anniversary. The first Internet sites on Bynet appeared twenty years ago. It is a matter of resources, the names of which for the first time acquired the well-known ‘.by’. It is possible that this list will be slightly extended this anniversary, and users, typing the names of some Belarusian sites, could use the keyboard layout without switching. And it is expected that, this year, our country will be able to register its first Cyrillic domain name. However, it is still unknown, what will be the first Belarusian Cyrillic domain, although experts are of the opinion that it will sound 'bel' and will be written as ‘.бел’. Recently, voting took place on one of large domestic web resources, and the majority of users prefer this option. The second place was taken by domain of the

The first national Cyrillic domain may appear this year on Bynet type ‘.рб’ and there were also such suggestions as ‘.бай’, ‘.бу’ and ‘.блр’. Actually, it is not easy to register national domains. Cyrillic endings should contain at least one letter, different from the Latin alphabet. Russia was obliged to agree to the variant ‘.рф’ because their initial desire to name their domain zone as ‘.ру’ was not accepted because it corresponded, in the Latin alphabet, to the national domain of Paraguay. However, the Russians did not have a problem with these restrictions. At present, they are discussing the preparation of a number of other domains among which, for example, is ‘.рус’. “Domains in national languages can simplify web-surfing of users who experience difficulties during typing of the site address using the Latin alphabet,” says Grigory Bakunov, the Director on technologies of the company Yandex. “However, this problem has 2014 беларусь.belarus

HI-TECH INTERNET PARK been solved by browsers for a long time. They understand what a user means typing the address with typing errors or using the Cyrillic alphabet instead of the Latin alphabet, and ‘sends’ it directly to a site, or to a search system for address specification.” Thus the expert notes, “What is good for the user is good for organisations. After all, their sites are designed to attract these users. Since the advent of the Cyrillic domain ‘.бел’, the capacity of domain names which can be used by organisations for additional promotion of their goods and services on the Internet, will increase. Names in the zone ‘.бел’ should arouse interest firstly in the state bodies, rendering electronic services to various sections of the population. But, if to judge by Russia’s experience, the representatives of businesses are quite often more active, and show a great interest in Cyrillic site name,” notes the representative of Yandex. According to the Director of the technical administrator of the national domain ‘.by’ of the company hoster.by, Sergey Povalishev, at the present time the destiny of the Cyrillic domain is almost solved, though the Belarusian side should fulfil several administrative procedures. The registration of the domain for many people is just an empty phrase, but in practice, for representatives of businesses, it is first of all an attempt to protect their brand. After all, if the company does not make this itself, anyone could register the domain name with their company brand. In Belarus, there have already seen cases of the capture of well-known domains in the ‘.by’ zone. In similar situations, it doesn't always come to trial. Often, the ‘invaders of domains’ simply agree to sell them. By the way, several records were shattered at once in the domain zone ‘.by’ last year. First of all, more than 36 thousand new sites were registered in 2013 on Bynet. That means that our country, for the first time, bypassed the European countries of Portugal, Iceland, Montenegro and Romania on growth rates of new registrations. Following the results of the year, 94.4 thousand new domains were registered on Bynet. In total, as of 1st January, 2014 Bynet numbered more than 65 thousand sites. By Alexander Smirnov

More than 36 thousand new sites were registered in 2013 on Bynet. That means that our country, for the first time, bypassed the European countries of Portugal, Iceland, Montenegro and Romania on growth rates of new registrations

беларусь.belarus 2014

The one who makes concessions, wins Experts advise representatives of Internet trading to reorganise the work with customers

ccording to statistics, one Internet shop is registered in the country every 45 minutes during the working hours. As of today, almost 6.5 thousand of them are fixed in the Commercial Register. A number of them are gradually expanding their influence on the periphery where, at the same time, regional virtual competitors appear. According to experts, it means that it is the time to fight for clients. After all, companies have to compete, not only with compatriots, but also with foreign competitors. Many methods and instruments have been known for a long time. However there are problems with their application. According to the Commercial Register, without getting up from your seat it is possible to buy electrical and TV/radio goods, auto parts and accessories for vehicles, furniture, clothes, and a lot of foodstuffs. As a rule, the presented assortment is so huge that one doesn’t know what to look for at first; studying the description and choosing a model are stressful. At times it seems that it is better to go to the shop, where there are fewer options, although they are more expensive. “It is necessary to facilitate the choice for customers, to understandably explain what distinguishes one article from another. After all, the list of properties and characteristics does not play such a crucial role as it once did,” says the Director of Studio Borovogo, Vitaly Denisenkov. According to him, the modern customer does not look so much at combinations of numbers and letters, which are clear, in most cases, only to advanced users. The important thing is the appearance. How much is a product similar to a desired one. Is the object the same, but with florets, or only available in red. Therefore, the winners are those retailers who post big pictures of gadgets and appliances and where things are shown from different angles.

PANORAMA  Sun rays generate clean electricity and profit Photovoltaic power plant to be built at Sporovsky Reserve

he relevant agreement has been signed at the Belarusian Representative Office of the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), to fulfill the Green Reinvestments project in Belarus. It will follow the example set in the Brest Region, and be financed by a budget of about $250,000; international contributors will cover most of the cost. A photovoltaic power plant is to generate electricity from the sun rays, with all profits from sale being reinvested in environmentally-friendly projects, to promote eco-living. “According to preliminary calculations, the 100kW power plant will bring a profit monthly of about Br30m. This will be used at our reserves, helping with nature protection measures,” notes Vadim Protasevich, Head of Sporovsky Reserve. Engineering works are underway, with building works expected to commence in late January. All local authority permissions have been received and matters co-ordinated, so that the power plant can come into operation this year.

 New projects — new sites Solar power station to be constructed in the Myadel District

rom 2014-2015, $12 million is to be invested by a Lithuanian company to build the power station near the village of Shvakshty, on the Vilnius-Polotsk road. “A solar power station is interesting for us as an alternative source of electricity and as a tourist attraction: after all, it will be located near a main road,” notes the Deputy Chairman of Myadel District Executive Committee, Leonid Bernyakovich. It will not be the first such alternative energy site in the Myadel District,

 Sweet tooth satisfied About 13 million Euros invested in building new Slutsk Sugar Factory

ust a few centuries ago, only the rich could afford such luxuries as sugar. Today, of course, no home is without it. Belarus makes granulated and cubed sugar, at its four factories. Slutsk Sugar Factory is considered to be among the largest, providing a quarter of the entire volume consumed domestically; its produce is also exported to 15 countries, near and far.

a s a w i n d - p owe re d s t at i on launched in the agro-town of Zanaroch recently. A folk museum is also opening, in the village of Nanosy, in the Myadel District, thanks to a private investment of over $3 million. The same sum is still needed to complete the complex next year. More than ten timber houses in folk style (accommodating 50) are to be open to the public, with jobs for around 70 people, chosen from among local residents. The site will include a museum of folk history, a water-powered mill, a bakery, a stable and other places of interest to tourists.

Slutsk Sugar Factory is now being modernised, with a new factory built, at a cost of nearly 13 million Euros, paid from bank loans and the enterprise’s own funds. German equipment for processing sugar beet is being installed, alongside a Dutch line for pressed sugar, and new robotised lines for prepacking and packing, explains Director Nikolay Prudnik. He tells us, “Our warehouse is never full, since our sugar goes directly to customers in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and the Baltic states.” 2014 беларусь.belarus

PANORAMA  Planting the seeds of tractor growth The Minsk Tractor Works expands geography of deliveries in the markets of Europe, South East Asia and Latin America

 Movement of goods in non-stop regime Logistics centre in Baranovichi up and running at full capacity

owadays, it is the biggest and most modern warehouse in the retail trade system of our country. The sum of investments has been 25,000,000 Euros. Now here, on the floor space of more than 20,000 square metres, receipt, storage and dispatch of goods to the shops of the Evroopt retail chain are organised. The storage of goods is accomplished in three temperature zones. The ‘dry’

 BelAZ attempts a record Unique Belarusian development, the mine dump truck BelAZ-75710, with load capacity of 450 tonnes, continues to conquer new heights

his model established a world record on the transportation of cargo. In one go, the dump-truck transported a massive 503 tonnes and 505kg of cargo. This achievement was confirmed, on site, by the Editor-in-Chief

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warehouse is at room temperature and holds goods which don’t need special storage requirements. These have been stockpiled in seven tiers. Chilled rooms, from 0 to 8 degrees, hold all the fruits and vegetables, and in freezing rooms, at a constant temperature of minus 18 degrees, frozen goods are preserved. The logistics centre in Baranovichi also contains rooms where bananas are stored to ripen. The dry warehouse of the logistics centre serves shops in Grodno, Brest and a part of the Gomel Regions, thus decreasing transport costs and the final price of the goods. This centre is capable of accepting 120 trucks a day without pause. of the Guinness Book of Russia, Alexey Svistunov. “There has never been a case where someone has transported so much on a mine dump-truck,” the Chief Designer of BelAZ, Alexander Yegorov, noted in a conversation with journalists. According to him, this record shows the new, higher technological possibilities of the enterprise. Dump trucks of such class are in demand for work in the coalmining industry in Russia, Canada, and also in opencast mines of Latin America — in Chile and Brazil.

ast year, the Minsk Tractor Works resumed delivery of production to France. Moreover, it organised the production of Belarus tractors with Tier-3B engines, meeting the latest European requirements on ecology. These are two vehicles which the enterprise recently introduced at the two most prestigious world agricultural shows in Paris and Hanover. “Among the largest orders, is a batch of ‘Belarus’ tractors bound for Pakistan,” said the Deputy Director General of the Minsk Tractor Works, Alexander Poturaev. “We have delivered almost two thousand vehicles there, as well as almost five hundred tractors to Poland.” But all this is just the tip of the iceberg. Last year, tractors under the label ‘made in Belarus’ were sent not only to Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, but also to the markets of Nigeria, Mozambique, Tanzania, Congo, Turkey and Sri Lanka. Moreover, export to Great Britain, Hungary, Serbia and Czech Republic has grown considerably. The enterprise has also been commissioned for bespoke orders. It has made two universal vehicles which can go on both road and on rail. One of them was produced for the Minsk metro, while the second was sent to the Voronezh plant. This year, the enterprise intends to focus on increasing its exports to countries further abroad, and to such CIS countries as Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. It also plans to start assembly of ‘Belarus’ tractors in Cambodia in the near future. They believe that, within two next years, the release of tractors here should reach 500 vehicles a year. The enterprise believes that this will allow, not only an increase of exports to this country, but also serve as a foothold on the markets of South East Asia.

SERVICES

New height Belavia Air Company is getting ready for the World Ice Hockey Championship, launching new routes

ast year saw dynamic growth for Belavia, with new planes joining the fleet and new routes launched. Of course, change has been inspired by the forthcoming World Ice Hockey Championship, which is being held this May — in our Year of Hospitality. Belavia has a huge role to play in transporting thousands of hockey fans in comfort and safety to the major event. Accordingly, it’s only

right that new services and technologies come into play. Anatoly Gusarov was an aviation engineer before taking on the job of Director General of Belavia, but always had a love of flying. He tells us, “Over the past year, we’ve managed to significantly develop our network of flights, with six new routes becoming operational: flights will now run regularly to Samara, Kutaisi, Budapest-Belgrade, Geneva and Vilnius. Meanwhile, new tourist routes have been launched to

Greek Arakos, Zakynthos, Kerkyra and Kos, as well as to Spanish Palma de Mallorka, Alicante, the Spanish resort of Catania, Croatian Pula and Montenegrin Tivat. Currently, the most popular routes are those to Antalya, Burgas, Izmir, Bodrum, Thessaloniki and Hurghada. This shows our commercial policy of flying within Europe, and across the CIS and Asia, as well as to the Middle East. In 2013, Belavia flew into 43 foreign airports, in 27 countries, covering 46 routes.” 2014 беларусь.belarus

SERVICES Last year, over 1.5m passengers used Belavia, didn’t they? To be more exact, we transported over 1.6m passengers: compared to 1.2m in 2012. I’m delighted, since the increased volume has been primarily due to transit passengers; it shows that people (and airlines) are happy to fly through Belarus. Those from Western European cities fly through Minsk and onto Astana, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Samara — using our routes. Moreover, passengers from Russian cities use us as a hub for onward flights to Western Europe. What’s the company’s formula for success? Belarus has always boasted strong air staff and qualified maintenance personnel, establishing a worthy system. Our care in making considered decisions, rather than acting in haste, also helps. It’s my motto. What inspired the company’s noticeable development last year? We’re launching new routes annually. Logically, we’ve analysed the international market situation and found our niches. Most importantly, we’ve reinforced our positions. Every Belarusian enterprise aims to conquer new markets, and ours is no exception. Our service exports have increased but air transportation is a complex mechanism, requiring much preparation before launching a new flight; demand needs to be thoroughly studied and new planes may need to be purchased. Are flights to Western Europe a priority for the company? Belavia is a fully-fledged participant in the international European air carriage market. We are recognised on an equal footing with Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Austrian Airlines and other famous air carriers. We’re perceived seriously in the world of aviation and regularly pass international audits for flight security provision. These are extremely serious inspections, organised every other year by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). We understand that we bear complete responsibility for the security of passengers during flights, so we’re deeply involved in training staff, in беларусь.belarus 2014

Director General of Belavia Air Company during interview with journalists

Over the past year, we’ve managed to significantly develop our network of flights, with six new routes becoming operational: flights will now run regularly to Samara, Kutaisis, Budapest-Belgrade, Geneva and Vilnius addition to maintaining the air-worthiness of planes to the highest level. As regards training, our flight crews study at training centres in London, Stockholm, Vilnius, Berlin and Amsterdam. Of course, this isn’t cheap, but it’s an essential condition for the operation and development of the company. Can you tell us about the creation of a ‘hybrid’ model combining classical ticket sales with elements of low-cost?

Our hybrid model is practically ready. In winter, when demand falls, this system enables us to sell tickets at the lowest prices, with special offers made to passengers. For example, someone planning a weeklong trip to Amsterdam in late February will pay just 199 Euros for a return ticket at present. Of course, this isn’t low-cost but it isn’t 400 Euros either. Such discounts will be offered until April 20th, covering 26 routes across the Belavia network. Belavia is soon to acquire new aircraft. Last May, we expanded our fleet with a Boeing 737-300 and acquired another this year — the seventh for our fleet. In total, we have 22 aircraft. In May, we’ll receive the first of two new Brazilian Embraers: the second is to arrive in June. Our plans also include the replacement of three Tu-154M; they can still fly but consume too much fuel, so are being replaced by Boeings of the same capacity. We’ll continue to expand our flight network and will launch more flights on existing routes as demand guides us. What’s in store for Belavia’s further development? The World Ice Hockey Championship is round the corner so we’ve launched routes to many countries participating in the world tournament. We’re ready to welcome fans on board and are considering how to increase the number of flights during the hockey competition. Moreover, fans are booking collective ticket packages, so we’re organising charter flights. We’ll be opening flights to Nice and Krasnodar. Meanwhile, we’re studying the provision of wireless Internet and mobile communication while on board: new technologies should be introduced in 2015. Interview by Vladimir Vladimirov

PS. In late January, the Republican Unitary Enterprise National Airline Belavia became the Belavia Air Company Open Joint-Stock Company, with Anatoly Gusarov appointed as Director General of Belavia Air Company JSC.

CHAMPIONSHIP-2014

Under hospitality rules There is little time left until the World Ice Hockey Championship in May

t the beginning of the month, the strongest national teams of the world will arrive in Minsk to fight for the name of champions before thousands of fans from dozens of countries. Preparation for the event, which promises to be significant for the whole country, has lasted for more than one year. Its results were discussed recently at a session of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers, where intermediate results were discussed, and ways of solving the remaining issues were determined.

any mistakes during the ‘visa-free’ entrance system that will operate from April 25th till May 31st? The Press Secretary of the State Border Committee, Alexander Tishchenko, is sure that everything will run smoothly, “It is clear that the theme of entrance causes certain questions for foreign fans. But in general everything is clear. The Ice Hockey ticket is good enough for entrance. Each ticket has a unique digital code. It will be checked at border and, if everything is all right, there will not be any problems with admission. There should not be any misunderstanding. Firstly, many employees of the State Border Committee know English, and secondly, if there is a need, we have volunteers who will also help. They will work in all the checkpoints, including the airport.”

Airport overhaul Let’s be honest, for years Minsk National Airport has lagged behind the times. However, now it has changed considerably. Reconstruction, which began last year, is focused on area expansion, change of appearance and the interior of the operating terminal and the creation of a barrier-free environment. Replacement heating systems, air-conditioning and illumination is also being carried out and escalators and lifts are being installed.

Hospitality rules

A trip to the theatre begins with visit to the cloakroom, while tourists visiting a country must deal with the checkpoints at the border. Are they ready for the influx of visitors? Will there be

According to the directorate on carrying out of the World Championship-2014, the tickets for matches of the tournament are bought, not only by residents of traditional hockey countries, but also by fans in Luxembourg, Ireland, Brazil, Colombia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and many more. In total, there are more than 40 countries on the list. The fans arriving here will not only want to watch hockey, but also to have a rest, and there will be a lot of possibilities for that. In addition to those which exist now, new such possibilities will also appear during the tournament. The Deputy Head of the Department of Sports and Tourism of Minsk City Executive Committee, Svetlana Demeshko, says that the question is well thought-out, “Fan-zones will operate near the Minsk-Arena and the Chizhovka-Arena from May 9th-25th. Hospitality zones will be located in the Student’s Village, on Dzerzhinsky Avenue, near the Sports Palace on Pobediteley Avenue and near the Ice Palace on Pritytsky Street. There will be ‘cities of masters’, mass cultural events, as well as souvenirs, beer, ice-cream and confectionery on sale and currency exchange points are planned to be set up. We will make sure that visitors to the city will feel that they’ve had both a great tournament and a great holiday.” Vitaliy Gil

Ticket is also visa

By Yuri Beketov

2014 беларусь.belarus

CHAMPIONSHIP-2014

Volunteer races to rescue

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How are you preparing for the championship right now? Meetings and preliminary preparations have been organised. The recent Christmas International Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament was a part of them. It was announced at all levels that the event was a key stage in our preparation. Did you attempt to join the volunteers at the Sochi Olympics? I was debating whether to choose Sochi or Minsk. Theoretically, it was possible to attend both events, but volunteers either work or study. Accordingly, it’s hardly possible to take such a long break. As a result, I chose the World Championships, as I wished to help my native country. Moreover, we are not hosting such events regularly. I will have the chance to visit an Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, for example. The only problem would be how to reach it. Aren’t volunteers provided with accommodation and travel tickets? Of course not. We travel at our own expense. We may receive an invitation, but would need to cover all costs ourselves. However, Sochi is an exception. An Olympic village has been organised there, with places set aside for volunteers. I love the Sochi volunteer team’s preparation. The Russians sent their young people to Vancouver to generate experience for the Olympics. They also visited London, and have prepared a special programme which will make it possible to develop Olympic skills and generate knowledge (necessary for efficient working), under the guidance of experienced coaches.

Almost every corner of Minsk reminds us of the forthcoming Ice Hockey World Championship, with preparation works embracing all areas — including volunteering

e g u l a r v o l u n t e e r, Ye g o r Zhukovsky, tells us more about these free-will helpers, who always accompany the sporting events. “I graduated from Minsk’s State Linguistic University and translation is actually my major specialty. At the moment, I’m a part-time student at the Department for Qualification Enhancement and Re-training, at the Belarusian State University’s Journalism Institute — specialising in sports journalism,” the young man tells us, adding, “I began as a volunteer in 2009 and, since then, it’s become my hobby. Every year, I attend major tournaments, and the European Football Championship, hosted by Poland, was my last trip so far (I worked in Wroclaw then). This year, I’ve already participated in the Christmas International Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament (for the Prize of the President of Belarus) as a volunteer-guide for the Canadian team. Of course, I’m now anticipating the World Championship, hosted here in Minsk in May.” What will your responsibilities be? I’ll be working as a team guide, and my major responsibility is to accompany the team at all times — to the hotel, training sessions or for a meal. I have to ensure that no problems arouse for the sportsmen. They, as well as other delegation members, should feel comfortable. I need to help them in any situation, however strange that might be. Actually, volunteers are involved in all areas, and a strict regime is ready. They will help to check tickets, assist journalists, meet guests at the airport and help them check-in at the hotel.

By Yan Zhur

HERITAGE

New lease of life given to early printed books

All Frantsisk Skorina works to be republished by 2017

2017

wi l l welcome celebrations marking the 500th anniversary of the release of the first Belarusian book — a Bible published by Frantsisk Skorina: ‘from the glorious city of Polotsk to honour God and teach the people of the Rzech Pospolita’. It was the first translation of the Bible into Belarusian, released in Prague in 1517, under the title ‘Biblia Ruska’. The National Library of Belarus has joined forces with the BelVEB Bank to launch a series of editions, reproducing the originals published by Skorina in Prague and Vilnius. Roman Motulsky, Director of the National Library, emphasises that, at present, around 360 copies of Skorina’s editions exist worldwide. “Rare editions are kept in libraries and museums in Belarus, the UK, Germany, Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Russia and Ukraine. The National Library of Belarus is the only such in the country to hold books by the first printer: ten editions of the Bible, which first appeared in Prague. The republications of the Polotsk-born printer’s legacy are being copied from electronic editions held in Germany, Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere. Each volume will contain explanations in Belarusian, Russian and English,” notes Mr. Motulsky. Nat i on a l L i br ar y e mpl oye e s Alexander Susha and Galina Kireeva tell us more about the project’s first volume: The Book of Genesis, “It was released in Prague in 1519, including two engravings: The Holy Trinity and The Creation

of the World. Art experts believe that these images were inspired by Albrecht Dürer’s St. Michael Fighting the Dragon. Unlike Dürer, Skorina’s Holy Trinity has a tri-facial God, symbolising light and the struggle between good and evil. The Belarusian publisher always found the necessary style for his compositions, as well as the necessary form for expressing his thoughts. His Holy Trinity engraving shows the tri-facial God sitting solemnly at the top, surrounded by angels. Meanwhile, Gavriil struggles against the devils and archangels at the bottom.” The Book of Genesis is one of two Prague editions by Frantsisk Skorina in which he used two-colour printing to emphasise headings, including red ink on the first page. Copies are currently kept not only at the Library of the Academy of Sciences but

at the Russian State Library, at the Russian National Library, at the State Historical Museum in Moscow, at the Russian State Archives of Ancient Acts, at the Tyumen Regional Local History Museum, at the Odessa State National Library in Ukraine, at the Jagiellonian National Library in Poland and at the Upper Lusatian Science Library in German Görlitz. The new reproduction of The Book of Genesis, being published in Minsk, is based on an electronic copy held by the Upper Lusatian Science Library in German Görlitz. The original was exhibitedinMinskandNesvizhinautumn 2012 and has been kept in Germany since the 16th century. In 1527, Skorina’s Bible belonged to prominent Duke Johann Hess — a leading Reformation figure in Silesia. 2014 беларусь.belarus

EXPOSITIONS Expert Georgy Golenchenko believes Skorina to be the most prominent representative of the spiritual Renaissance in Belarus. He notes that the approximate date of Skorina’s birth is around 1490, and continues, “In 1504, he entered Krakow University, where students usually enrolled at age 14 (occasionally older). However, Skorina was still registered as a ‘young man’ in 1512, by the University of Padua. It was there that he defended his thesis, gaining a prestigious doctoral degree in ‘medical sciences’. He later placed this title on the front pages of his editions. His book, released in Prague, also bears an inscription revealing that Belarusian-origin merchants from Vilnius funded his printing of the Bible in the Belarusian language: called ‘rusky’ (Russian) at that time. Over several years, Skorina managed to prepare and publish more than a half of the Old Testament’s books: those from the most ancient part of the Bible, created in preChristian times. The first — the Psalter — appeared on August 6th, 1517; the last editions were published in late 1519 and early 1520. We have no idea why Skorina left Prague around 1520 but, in Vilnius, he organised his own printing house: at the chairman of the city’s house, that of magistrate Jakub Babic, near the market square. Around 1522, his Little Travel Book appeared, which included the Psalter with additions; this was followed, in 1525, by The Apostle. Skorina’s Vilno editions were released in the Church Slavonic language and included Skorina’s own prefaces in Belarusian. The forecast of solar and six moon eclipses until 1530, included in his Little Travel Book, was unique. Skorina spent his final years in Prague and, in January 1552, his son, Simeon, received recognition for his father’s heritage from the Czech king. It’s unknown where the great Belarusian is buried.” Monuments and other landmarks in Polotsk, Minsk, Vilnius, Kaliningrad, Prague and Padua mark key events in the life and creativity of Polotsk-born Frantsisk Skorina.

 Harmony of two cultures Painter, Marina Elyashevich, presents Chinese artwork in Minsk

he painter’s exposition is devoted to Year of the Horse and one can trace the artist perception of the horse as a source of varied creative understanding in the pieces. A horse which is free from its harness is a symbol of desire for unknown areas, and a prancing horse is a bright reminder of the times of fragrant females and dashing dandies. According to Xia Guang Yuan, the First Secretary of the Embassy of

 Forty years of playbills Lithuanian Movie Poster international exhibition project displays works from Lithuanian Museum of Theatre, Music and Cinema, at Gomel’s Art Gallery of Gavriil Vashchenko

orty posters are on show, covering almost four decades of cinema. The oldest advertises Ausra prie Nemuno (Dawn Over the Neman) from 1953. Other exhibits include

the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Belarus, Chinese painting is far removed from its European counterpart. Nevertheless, according to his words, Marina Elyashevich has harmoniously combined the Chinese and Belarusian cultures in her creative work. At the exhibition, the painter’s work, in traditional Chinese art of rice-paper, monochromic China and coloured ink, are presented. At all times, a horse was an element of the symbolic innovation of many art epochs and styles of various countries, so, according to the opinion of Marina Elyashevich, there is always a need to develop this theme, to contribute to an original author’s beginning. posters promoting Eternal Light — by Raimundas Slizys, Flight Through Atlanta — by Vytautas Kaušini, and Noah’s Ark — by Jokūbas Jacovskis. Lithuanian film posters were born and developed against a background of strict censorship; they kept a strong Lithuanian cultural influence, rather than being guided by external trends in cinema. The Museum of Theatre, Music and Cinema b egan collecting such posters in the 1950s and boasts almost a complete collection.

By Viktar Korbut

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PROJECT

h e B e l ar u s 3 T V Channel’s unique Forward to the Future project, hosted by Yuri Vashchuk and Oksana Vecher, travels to Belarusian villages in search of folk s ongs; t hes e are then p erformed by famous ar t istes, using modern musical arrangements. Some singers were skeptical about the idea of arranging ‘songs by grannies’ for the pop stage but gradually became keen to work with Mr. Vashchuk, as Yuri notes. “On seeing the results, the skeptics began using the songs ‘born’ in our programme at their concerts. Some even admitted to having created true hits.” Alexander Tikhanovich, Yadviga Poplavskaya, Inna

Alexander Ruzhechka

Hits of the past for the future

Yuri Vashchuk, Oksana and Anatoly Vecher revive folk songs with second life

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UNIQUE EXHIBIT Afanasieva and Irina Dorofeeva — top Belarusian pop singers — now happily use folk songs in their repertoires. Moreover, some have even united as pairs or trios to perform folk compositions: Alexey Khlestov and Yevgeny Chalyshev sing Saint Evening together while Talaka is performed by Olga Plotnikova, Inga Kiseleva, Yuri Vashchuk, Oksana Vecher, Yevgeny Chalyshev and Andrey Usanov (successfully broadcast on radio at the moment). Of course, over the years, various artistes have atte mpte d to revive folk songs in a modern style: Vladimir Mulyavin was among the first. However, to do so successfully is a challenge, since each district has its own melodies and lyrics. It requires a particular singer and style to perform them. The programme’s director, Anatoly Vecher, emphasises, “We find all our songs in rural areas and it’s luck whether we find an elderly woman who remembers the melody to accompany particular lyrics. It’s worse when we need to invent something ourselves, as we risk losing authenticity. At present, folk art is losing its ties with the traditions of former generations. Many folklore collections have been published but you really can’t sing lyrics without a melody. Of course, bold modern composers will invent their own but we aim to find authentic materials.” Forward to the Future compositions combine the beauty of Belarusian language with grannies’ diverse voices, interwoven. Interestingly, many folk songs hail from the Lyuban District. Mr. Vecher reveals, “A deep layer of authentic Belarusian music has been preserved in this powerful region, where mostly folk — rather than amateur — bands perform. Local enthusiast Sergey Vyskvarko has

helped songs from the Lyuban District ‘migrate’ all over Belarus. We once visited the Slutsk District and heard Lyuban songs; local villagers told us that Mr. Vyskvarko had brought them there.” The Zhitkovichi District is another area known for its beautiful melodies and lyrics. In the past, Vladimir Mulyavin and composer Luchenok loved to visit the district for inspiration. Mr. Vecher and his colleagues also travelled there, finding some worthy melodies for their programme. As Forward to the Future is broadcast countrywide, various folk groups — usually comprised of old women or children (there are a dozen of them) — are able to enrich their repertoires. However, a major problem exists, Mr. Ve c h e r e x p l a i n s , “Female voices prevail in our programme, as there are few ‘male’ songs. We sometimes use them purely for recruitment. At present, I’m thinking of how to breathe new life into these compositions. We could have launched an independent programme for Forward to the Future, presenting exclusively male songs.” He adds, “Belarusians once lived in Siberia; the very old songs are found in that area alone, being already forgotten in their homeland. They’re a major cultural layer, which our diaspora has succeeded in preserving. We need to research and preserve them, and bring them back to life.” Belarus 3 has taken on a truly lofty mission: to take care of the future of our cultural heritage. The value of this mission is clear, on hearing such Belarusian folk songs. Performed by professional singers, they bring something new to Belarusian pop music: a richer repertoire and a truly national character.

Forward to the Future compositions combine the beauty of Belarusian language with grannies’ diverse voices, interwoven

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Slutsk sash returns to native land The great historical and cultural value, the Slutsk sash has enriched the exposition of the Slutsk Museum of Local Lore, History and Economy. Here, an exhibition is taking place, and residents and guests of the town can admire this unique exhibit.

ntil recently, due to its history, the motherland of the Slutsk sash did not have any complete sashes. Today this gap has finally been filled. A private collector, who had had a Slutsk sash in his collection, and had wanted to sell it, has recently contacted the museum. Experts from the National Art Museum have examined the item and concluded that the sash is real, and was woven locally, sometime between 1762 and 1780. The exhibit cost $90,000, and this money was raised by residents of Slutsk, businesspeople and state organisations.

By Viktar Korbut

Art | Personality

Teacher and his pupils

On February 14th, People’s Artist of Belarus Pavel Maslenikov would have celebrated his 100th birthday: inspiring reflection on this famous master’s life and artistry

avel Maslenikov was an acknowledged master of pictorial art and theatrical set design in 20th century Belarus. Born on February 14th, 1941, in the village of Nizkaya Ulitsa (Mogilev District), he was greatly influenced by his childhood experiences, by his love of music and by his acquaintance with Russian and Belarusian literature. In 1938, Pavel graduated from Vitebsk’s Art College and gained employment as a set painter at the Belarusian State Opera and Ballet Theatre. In 1941, he was working on sets for the opera Katerina when the Great Patriotic War began and he began his own part in the fight against the invading Fascists. He was later awarded medals — ‘For Defence of Moscow’ and ‘For Viktory over Germany’ — and a 2nd Degree Great Patriotic War Order. After demobilisation in 1946, Pavel returned to the theatre to continue set painting. In 1953, he completed a ‘distance learning’ course run by the Repin Institute of Fine Arts, Sculpture and Architecture (St. Petersburg). In 1954, he gained the title of Honoured Figure of Arts of Belarus. Mr. Maslenikov devoted around two decades of his life to the theatre: a period of maturing, artistic development, interesting meetings and co-operation with famous directors, composers, artistes and painters. The theatre was Pavel’s second home and workshop, where his talents and secrets were disclosed. Mr. Maslenikov’s unique artistic views on set decoration much influenced his world outlook and his feeling of professional responsibility, creating sets for Alexander Yurasovsky’s Trilby, Boris Asafiev’s Fountain of Bakhchisaray, Berdzhikh Smetana’s Bartered Bride, Mikhail Kroshner’s Nightingale, Anton Rubinshtein’s Demon, Piotr Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, Stanislaw Moniuszko’s Haunted Manor, and Johann Strauss’ Gypsy

Baron — among others. Mr. Maslenikov created sets for the Yanka Kupala Belarusian State Theatre and the State Russian Drama Theatre named after Maxim Gorky — for such shows as Maxim Gorky’s Varvara, Nikolay Ostrovsky’s How the Steel was Tempered, and Dunin-Marcinkiewicz’s Pinsk Gentry. He travelled widely, visiting the Baltic States, the Crimea, Altai, Finland, Switzerland and India. Each trip brought his creation of such picturesque canvases as Altai Cycle and his Baltic States’ Cycle. However, most of his works were inspired by his native Belarus. Mr. Maslenikov loved to draw landscapes on diverse themes: city, architectural, marine, industrial and historical. These reflect perfectly the artist’s feelings and world outlook. Flax in Bloom, On Naroch and Winter in Belarus were all inspired by nature. People’s spirituality is wonderfully disclosed in Mr. Maslenikov’s thematic pictures: Last, Road of Death, Harvest, Year of 1929 and On the Viktory Day. His works are impressive in their delicacy and poetic expression. During the last years of his life, Mr. Maslenikov worked on his Native Land series of beautiful Belarusian landscapes. Tunes of Summer, which Leaves admires Belarusian nature with wistful sorrow at the passing of summer, while In the Early Spring is truly cheerful, devoted to spring’s awakening. Over his long life, Mr. Maslenikov created a diverse legacy: theatrical sets, landscape paintings, a teaching career and fame as an art critic. From 1960-1964, he headed the Belarusian State Theatre and Art Institute and, later, as associate professor, chaired the Pictorial Art Department. He significantly improved Belarus’ artistic education system, launching new specialities at the Belarusian State Theatre and Art Institute and providing the necessary intellectual and material foundations for training the national specialists of tomorrow in decorative-applied arts, set design, monumental art and art theory. 2014 беларусь.belarus

Alexander Ruzhechka

Art | Personality

He set up departments of interior decoration, of monumental-decorative painting, of costume making, and of artistic work with wood, ceramics and glass, as well as launching access to remote learning within the department of art and theatre studies. Moreover, he contributed to the establishment of the Republican Boarding School of Music and Fine Arts (now known as the Belarusian Republican Training College-Gymnasium of Arts named after I.O. Akhremchik). Each of his pupils was truly talented, having their own character and unique inner light and he did his best to help them develop those talents, teaching skills to support their artistic progress — in theory and in practice. Mr. Maslenikov taught quite a few talented painters. He turned to art studies after finishing post-graduate courses at the Belarusian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Arts Studies, Ethnography and Folklore. In 1960, he defended his thesis paper, also writing a monograph, entitled Belarusian Soviet Thematic Painting. Mr. Maslenikov wrote articles for the media and scientific journals and the five-volume Encyclopaedia of Belarusian Literature and Art. He contributed to the nine-volume Art History of USSR Nations and the 6-volume History of Belarusian Art (which brought him and his co-authors Belarus’ State Award in 1996). Mr. Maslenikov died in 1995 and, in 1996, a Presidential Decree was signed ‘On Perpetuating the Memory of People’s Artist of Belarus Pavel Maslenikov’; in line with the document, Mogilev Regional Art Museum was named after the artist. A year later, a picture gallery dedicated to Mr. Maslenikov’s life-long work opened at the museum and a bust of the artist — sculpted by Vladimir Letun — was erected in a nearby park. Pavel Maslenikov’s works are held worldwide, by museums and individuals: in Belarus, Russia, Italy, France, Switzerland, Hungary, Japan and elsewhere. беларусь.belarus 2014

Recently, a retrospective exhibition opened at the National Art Museum, devoted to the 100th anniversary of Mr. Maslenikov’s birth, featuring around 70 works. The museum’s senior research assistant, Natalia Selitskaya, tells us that 13 of the pictures are on loan from the Mogilev Regional Art Museum, while 14 come from the National Art Museum. Mr. Maslenikov’s colleagues and pupils have provided around 50 works (including pictorial, graphical and ceramic pieces), while his family have given around 20 treasures. Pavel’s daughter, Vera Prokoptsova, recently presented a book on her father. At the Mogilev launch, she explained, “Pavel Maslenikov: An Artist’s Portrait in the Mirror of Time contains anecdotes from his pupils, who recall him as a talented master and teacher and a kind-hearted man. The present show also features their creations: canvases, folk weaving, costumes and fabric works. My father initiated the teaching of practical arts and costume making at the Theatre and Art Institute, which he headed for over 15 years. It’s wonderful that his traditions and knowledge are echoed by his pupils.” Celebrations dedicated to the artist’s anniversary include not only exhibitions. The Mogilev Region has pioneered festivities by launching a commemorative envelope with an original stamp, while Mogilev TV Company has premiered Pavel Maslenikov’s Seventh Sky documentary. The Minsk museum has presented a Pavel Maslenikov: 100 Years commemorative coin — minted in Vilnius and placed into circulation by the National Bank (3,000 coins in total). One side features the artist’s face and signature, alongside a fragment of his Ostroshitskoe Lake painting, and his dates of birth and death. The reverse shows Belarus’ relief emblem and a fragment of his Golden Birch Trees. In spring, Mogilev will host an international open-air workshop devoted to the anniversary: page

Art | Personality

Images of Motherhood in Fine Arts. Artists from ten countries are to be welcomed to the village of Knyazhitsy (where Pavel spent his childhood). Meanwhile, the local school is to unveil a plaque devoted to the master and pupils will be invited to take part in a contest of children’s drawing. The jubilee will be widely celebrated all over the Mogilev Region, with local schools, universities and libraries hosting artistic meetings, film presentations and other events. However, let’s return to the National Art Museum which hosted an opening of the exhibition, dedicated to the master’s jubilee. The exhibition, called Teacher and His Pupils, reflects not only the huge legacy of a famous painter, but also exposes those rich traditions that have been strengthened by students of the master. Pavel Maslenikov is one of the most famous Belarusian masters of landscape painting and scenic painting of the 20th century. Scenic painter, landscape artist, art historian and teacher and supporter of classical traditions in art, he lived by the process of creativity, appreciated skills and professionalism. The work of the Honoured Figure of Arts of BSSR, People’s Artist of Belarus, PhD of Arts, associate professor, laureate of the State Award of Belarus, Pavel Maslenikov was equally focused on creating a national theatre culture and the development of Belarusian arts. The current exhibition features more than fifty paintings of the master from the collection of the National Art Museum of Belarus, the Mogilev Regional Art Museum of Pavel Maslenikov and the late artist’s family. Landscapes created by Pavel Maslenikov from the late 1940s to the early 1990s depict native nature which was close to his heart. The artist does not offer any unusual visual images, but everyone wants to stare endlessly at them, to admire the colours. Picturesque distances, soft lines, the slow pace of colour transitions. The contact with beauty in its highest manifestation is felt again and again, when the aesthetic merges with the ethical ideal. Beauty interflows with the good. Semantic foundation of a landscape, inscribed in the visual, stems from the experience of life, absorbing all its wisdom. Despite the large service and public workload, Pavel Maslenikov practiced and perfected his skill of a painter on a daily basis. With an easel on his shoulder, he walked and toured many countries: India, Nepal, Finland, Sweden, the Carpathian Mountains of Altai, the Baltic States, the Crimea and the Volga River area, Italy, France and Egypt... And, of course, all corners of his native Belarus. He created a landscape chronicle of his travels. His works stand out with a romantic mood, a realistic reflection of nature. It becomes evident when one observes them at the exhibition, that his paintings cover all possible landscapes: urban, architectural, marine, industrial, historical. One feels that the artist’s canvases reproduce the nature which is close to his heart. Feelings, especially the concept of the universe and life, are expressed through his landscapes. Pictures like Flax in Bloom, On Naroch, Winter in Belarus and many others, were painted directly from nature.

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It is possible to see the reflection of spiritual life in thematic canvases like Last, Road of Death, Harvest, Year of 1929 and On the Viktory Day. His pictures surprise with their subtlety of painting and their ability to identify the rich nature of poetic feeling. During the last years of his life, Pavel Maslenikov worked on a series called Native Land. It consists of several landscapes (also presented at the exhibition), which truthfully and convincingly convey the beauty of the Fatherland. In the landscape Tunes of Summer, which Leaves there is admiration for the beauty of nature and the sadness that summer ends, and In the Early Spring contains the joy of spring awakening. Summarising his creative life, Pavel Maslenikov wrote, “The long journey of an artist’s ascension into professional, creative life passes in the depths of the social life of people, in the infinite richness of his spiritual life, the spiritual union of nations.” He left us a rich artistic heritage. The artist determined the fate of most of his works during his lifetime. He donated about 140 pictures, sketches of scenery and costumes to the Mogilev Regional Art Museum and the city of Mogilev, near to where he was born and spent his school years. And he returned there once again, giving fellow citizens his pictures, where he created unique, enchanting images of his native land, his own special world where reality is intertwined with poetry, painting filled with musicality, and expression approaching theatricality. During his teaching years at the Belarusian State Theatre and Art Institute, Pavel Maslenikov trained several generations of students who subsequently found their own ways, and became worthy successors to their teacher in the national art. The current exhibition also features works by eleven well known Belarusian artists: Valentina Bartlova, Tamara Vlasyuk, Yevgeny Zhdan, Galina Krivoblotskaya, Alla Nepochelovich, Mikhail Romanyuk, Sergey Solokhin, Natalia Sukhoverkhova, 2014 беларусь.belarus

Art | Personality Yevgenia Shuneiko and Margarita Shchemeleva. The work of What was the determining factor in your choice of profeseach of them is different, containing their distinct personality, sion of an artist? When did it come? beginning with the selection of the type of art in which they The fact that my father was an artist was the determining prefer to work, and ending with a personal vision of the world, factor for me. When did it come? When I was four years old, I interpreted in their works. However, one thing binds them didn’t paint yet, but already said that I would be an artist and all — they were lucky enough to learn from the master, who a driver. As a result, it happened so: I became an inveterate planted in each of them, a grain of creativity. driver-amateur. I have been driving a car since I was thirteen. Certainly, the surname of Maslenikov is widely known Surely, it’s difficult to be in the light of such star, as your both among Belarusian artists and painting fans. Certainly, father — the People’s Artist of Belarus Pavel Maslenikov. it was Pavel Maslenikov who gave impetus to it. However, his At the same time, you are artist Vladimir Maslenikov. How son — Vladimir Maslenikov — is today a brilliant continuer of do you manage to have own style and your own stylistics of artistic traditions of his father. Vladimir boasts his own unique painting? How do you manage to be an original artist? creative features, while his works are recognisable. Nevertheless, I can say that it’s very difficult, especially, when you are a young it is impossible to avoid ‘dynasty’, especially as the family of artist, who has just graduated from the institute. Almost half of Maslenikov also has new successors of Pavel Maslenikov’s artistic my life I had to prove that I’m not only Pavel Maslenikov’s son, but heritage. Meanwhile, we will continue this a bit later. also a good artist. Therefore, when I graduated from the institute, I met Vladimir Maslenikov in his studio. On the eve of our during the first years I intentionally didn’t exhibit my landscapes; conversation about the dynasty, I had already had a full idea I primarily exhibited portraits so that people would not compare about him as a painter. Certainly, Vladimir Maslenikov belongs me with my father. Then I gradually shifted to landscapes, because to that generation of Belarusian artists whose creativity absorbed it was closer to me. However, I paint portraits too. best traditions of the national pictorial school. Each canvas of the What did you admire in your father’s creative activity? artist is filled with colourful harmony, and the pictorial palette I admired his working capacity. He tensely worked through of the painter is restrained and tunes in quiet colour of native all his life. When I was a child he always brought me with him Belarusian nature. The world of beauty is present in all his works to make sketches. Whether you like it or not, the love towards — either portraits or epic landscapes of his native nature. landscapes appeared. We travelled all over Belarus. When we It has been more than thirty years as Vladimir Maslenikov, went to the Crimea, we obligatory took canvases with us, as using a brush and paints, has investigated Belarusian spaces: well as cardboard and sketchbox easels. For example, when we well-known and at the same time still unknown. He searches were in Gurzuf, all people were on the beach while we were and finds all new motifs, since long ago he opened for himself in the mountains, painting sketches. We painted nearly four the fact that native land is capable to sketches a day. I liked it so much that constantly amaze an eye of an artist today I don’t go anywhere without a with its extraordinary landscapes. sketchbox easel. The painter has his own figurative Even today you paint Belarusian style of landscape in which the image nature, landscapes. Do you feel of surprisingly bright natural space closeness to your land? Do you want dominates. This talented Belarusian to express these feelings in the works? artist has so many individual discovOr do you write only what you like? eries that new creative prospects are I practically don’t leave Belarus easily opened to him. The idea of today, because of the family, summer boundless space, figuratively coded cottage, village. However, in Belarus in Vladimir Maslenikov’s landscapes, there are so many beautiful and obligatory envisages the introducvarious places: plains, lakes, and tion of high sky, which captivates hills. Each condition of Belarusian by its inexhaustible space blueness. nature is beautiful in its own way: Moreover, the artist has such symbolsnow, rain, and the sun. I love my ical compositions where heavenly native land very much. tops are drawn by ‘giant mountains’ Did your father see your works? of dark clouds or penetrated by sun Did you have any creative exchange rays that break through a cloudy haze. of opinions or admonitions? How did Such figurative elements add greater it all happen? importance and expressiveness to My father was never lavish with native land that corresponds to its praise. He considered natural beauty and cleanliness. Vladimir Maslenikov. “Portrait of father”, 1983 that if you graduated page

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Art | Personality

from the institute, it doesn’t mean that you became a professional artist. In any way, you should gain experience. And even when the first success came to me, my father — we worked in one studio — didn’t interfere into my creativity until I asked him something. Though he was a strong-willed person he behaved delicately. The praise consisted in any allegorical meaning. For example, he could come from the exhibition and say: ‘You know, my guys (his guys are his generation of artists) said that my son stands out against a background of his generation’. It meant the highest praise. Probably, it was pleasant for you to hear that? Certainly. I understood that it was praise, knowing the character of the father. It was acknowledgement. I’m so much respectful to the father that the highest praise for me was that from him. If he acknowledged, it meant that it was good. As well as my son now respects my opinion [Pavel Maslenikov, the grandson of P.V. Maslenikov]. When he studied at the Academy of Arts, I came on viewing and said: ‘You’ve grown’. However, he received not very high marks. He said after viewing: ‘It was the first time I heard your praise. After all, I received high marks at the art school while you criticised me all the time’. You said that your son follows your way too. It means, the dynasty of Maslenikov as artists continues. However, how do you think: why did your son also become an artist? Moreover, my younger son Alexey now studies to be a designer while the daughter-in-law is an artist. As for Pavel, so when he was five years old, I could not pull him out of a studio. Probably, everything had been already predetermined. There is another moment: I can give him advice in this work. After all, when I was a child I said that I would be an artist though I didn’t understand what this was. At that time the father worked at the theatre as an art director, so I grew up, as it’s possible to say, at the opera theatre. When the example is before your eyes, it greatly influences the motifs of your behaviour. Taking into account how the fine arts sphere develops, how do you see its tomorrow? Will this process continue? I think everything will be good. The senior generation says that they were not such as today’s youth. Well, youth is the same as ours was earlier. I am an optimist. Are you selfVladimir Maslenikov critical?

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I’m very self-critical. It even disturbs me sometimes. What do you consider the main thing in your creativity? The main thing is improvement in the direction in which I work. My father used to say that here is no limit to perfection. I want to work both with landscapes and portraits, and, probably, with still-life paintings. I try to work in different genres. I like to paint portraits: different images, different characters. Are you familiar with creative failure? Certainly, sometimes failures happen, but they are relative. I can consider one work unsuccessful while a spectator won’t notice this, and vice versa. It is just necessary to work, that’s all. As the father said, if you will wait for inspiration, it may never come. Come, take a brush in hands — and inspiration will come. There is a museum named after your father in Mogilev. Is it popular? Do the works give a chance to people to learn more about artist Pavel Maslenikov? It’s a Regional Art Museum named after Maslenikov. The museum has a lot of my father’s works. There is a whole wing where there is a personal gallery of People’s Artist of Belarus, Pavel Maslenikov. There are three halls and a memorial room. There are big funds. After all, the father himself gave a lot of his works to this museum. After his death I gave more than forty pictorial works, sketches of scenery, and costumes. I consider that his best works are in this museum. After all, he gave the museum almost his entire exhibition, dedicated to his 80th anniversary. Undoubtedly, these are his major works. He exhibited these works in Minsk, and then went to Mogilev and presented them to the city. At first, a gallery was opened, and then the museum got the name, when the father died. I go there every year. The international painting plain-airs are held there, bringing artists from the CIS and non-CIS states: France, Austria, Serbia, Bulgaria, Poland and elsewhere. Pupils come for excursions, and off-site exhibitions with lectures are also held. The work is in full swing! The museum building is very interesting, being built in the previous century. Good restoration was made there, and it already has more than forty works of mine. 2014 беларусь.belarus

Art | Personality

Picturesque searches enable him to find possible answers to acute philosophical issues, connected with criteria of creativity. It won’t be exaggeration to say that today Vladimir Maslenikov is one of the most prominent masters of contemporary landscape. The author of such significant compositions as Belarusian Spaces, Polotsk Distances and The Lake Land deliberately develops an epic cycle, dedicated to Belarusian nature. He is in the plenitude of his creative powers and each new work brings in new pages into his artistic luggage. The landscapes, created by him in the past and those written nowadays, are masterfully written poetic novels about his native land, boasting unexceptional artistic taste. Especially good are those which glorify the image of the native land delicately, thoroughly and with amazingly sharp feeling of nature’s life. His landscapes are true and are filled with restrained lyricism. The author can be recognised immediately even without signature judging by his special pictorial manner, which harmoniously combines the accuracy of life reconstruction and deep poetry, the accuracy of the drawing and colourful beauty. Moreover, his special national colour scheme evidently stands out and penetrates his creativity. Don’t you impose your manner to someone? No, in no way. I don’t want that everyone write in such a way. My principle is also not to repeat the creative manner of my father. Over the last decade, I’ve seen many copies of my works in various places. Why to impose upon your own? Vice versa, painters need to find their own niche. The more various painters are the better. It often happens that there’s more interesting in the painter’s early pieces than in their later creative activity. How was this with you? Did you perceive world in a different way when you were young? Everything was perceived differently in student years. There was time when I enjoyed Renato Guttuso and I even created composition — similar to his stylistics. I was making everything then less consciously, and there were hesitations. Once беларусь.belarus 2014

I liked Čiurlionis and made pieces — similar to his. This was my search. However, I’ve finally come to what I do now and I improve as years come. If we take my works, created 25 years ago, they seem slightly weaker compared to what I currently do. I think that I follow the right road: without any jumps and gradually — higher and higher. There’re different sketches. Some don’t say anything to either spectators’ heads or their hearts; it’s seen that randomness in motifs and deliberate carelessness of form dominate there. Vladimir Maslenikov’s sketches are different, producing greater picturesque culture of the master and faultless sharpness of eyes. He thoroughly selects everything that is typical for our nature, which inspires excitement in souls and charms with blue distances and free rivers… Aren’t you tired of writing? I receive pleasure from this and I think that I’m a happy person, as are many painters who are involved in their favourite occupation. They enjoy this and also earn money. Do your works have a generalised image? Yes, of course. I think that there can’t be nature work in such large formats as I have. This is a compositional picture, for example, this one which is called ‘My Belarus’ [he points to a picture hanging in the studio]. This is a generalised image, encompassing our spaces and lakes. One can notice that water is present almost everywhere in my works. Lakes, forests and great spaces — all these are Belarus. The picture is over and it has already visited the ‘Traditions and Modernity’ exhibition. The way to reflect space in Vladimir Maslenikov’s landscapes is very interesting, with the forefront always reinforcing its positions, followed by great spaces. Spacious mind is felt in his pieces, combined with the poet’s staring glaze. The painter is able to listen to the nature’s voices while searching its unique features and national character. The objective beauty of the world, seen and reflected in an artistic image, is the mastery of human emotional education and inspiring deep emotions among spectators. Don’t you schedule your personal exhibition for the nearest time? My personal exhibitions have been held in various years in the Palace of the Republic, Minsk’s Palace of Arts, Mogilev’s Regional Art Museum, Minsk’s Art Gallery and the Belarusian University of Physical Culture. There’s no need to make a personal exhibition spontaneously. Usually I develop its concept a year in advance. I should know where it will be held, what the exposition will be and which works I need. Works that harmonise with each other are needed. In one word, a personal exhibition is a very complex process and it should be viewed creatively. Speaking about Vladimir Maslenikov’s pictures, one can’t but return again and again to those bright national colours which are also used in his father’s creative activity. The dynasty of Maslenikovs is Belarusian painters who really appreciate the history, culture and nature of their own country. It means that the tradition is alive and doesn’t break. By Viktor Mikhailov

CRAFTSMANSHIP

‘Outsourcing’ for Yuri Shif

Individuality is in fashion nowadays, and the demand for it is great. We want to have, not only thoughts that are distinct from others’ (independence of thinking is, theoretically, the most available way to show own individuality), but also with unique items. If, in addition to this desire to be distinct from others, you also like speed and beauty, you should visit Yuri Shif’s workshop, which is located near Minsk.

In normal life, Yuri Shif drives a car, but he is always the first to ‘break in’ his own motorcycles. The author, on the, already legendary, ‘The Machine’

hen I mention this name around, the majority of men roll their eyes at first, and then offer me a lift, clinging onto any opportunity to go to the workshop and, with half an eye to look at the place where the Master works. Women, however, do not roll their eyes. Most don’t know who I am talking about, and ask me ‘And who is it?’ It seems to me that motorcycles are not for women, except for 2014 беларусь.belarus

CRAFTSMANSHIP when they sit behind the driver, snuggled close to him. But after I saw the greenishgolden beauty, topped with a crown and aptly named, ‘Little Queenie’, I understood that motorcycles are beautiful, individual and unique — they seem beyond sex, time and space. However, it is possible to argue about time and space. For example, Yuri Shif has a motorcycle called ‘Time Machine’, in dedication to the wellknown rock group whose songs were listened by his generation. Here is both time, and space and an ultramarine bird of happiness. Apparently, it was difficult to find the necessary shade of colour, even with the help of well-known Belarusian artist and designer, Vladimir Tsesler. And what views and vast distances this ‘Time Machine’ can achieve! As the song says, ‘it’s not so easy to get there by foot, but quite possible to drive up.’ The first question I have is a natural one. Is it true that women also order motorcycles? He smiles in reply, either it is ironic, or mysterious, it is difficult to know at first. “Everyone orders, women included. But more often, men order for the women.” Last year ‘Little Queenie’ took third place the Russian Championship of Custom Bike Building against representatives of all post-Soviet countries. Readers of this article should learn these words — custom building; it means the personalisation of an object, making it totally unique. The absolute winner of that championship was another child from Yuri Shif’s workshop, a motorcycle called ‘Shifter’ based on an Italian ‘Ducati GT’. In 2012, in Germany he won two regional championships, and in the World Championship 2013 (winners of the regional championships receive entrance to the World Championships) in Germany’s Essen, ‘Shifter’ took second place in the ‘street motorcycles’ category. Championship wins are quite habitual for the master from Belarus. If his vehicles do not win, they easily receive nominations in practically all the competitions in which they participate. In 2010, his either futuristic, or retro vehicle (it is difficult for me to call it a ‘motorcycle’). ‘The Machine’ became the world champion in the category of motorcycles with nonбеларусь.belarus 2014

American engines, and collected two German championship titles along the way to South Dakota. In 2010, Yuri Shif also won in the Championship of Italy, with another motorcycle. So, maybe, you know nothing about bike customising, but the world of bike customising has heard much about Belarus. And have you ever been asked what country Belarus is? In America, I’m asked very often. In Germany and Italy people do not ask. Europeans, as a rule, know. While Americans, do not know. Here, for example, South Dakota, do you know, where South Dakota is? I try to imagine the map of the USA, and have to admit that I do not know where South Dakota is situated. It is the ‘Wild West’. 800 thousand motorcyclists went there. Can you imagine 800 thousand people in one place? Unlike South Dakota on a map, I can easily imagine it, because I saw Tiananmen Square in Beijing where there is room for one million people. And among these 800 thousand motorcyclists there are many different creations. Here they ask: ‘Where are you from? Belarus? Where is that?’ I say: ‘In Eastern Europe.’ They ask me: ‘And where is Europe?’ I answer: ‘In Australia’. They answer: ‘Ah, in Australia!’ Everyone knows where Australia is. Believe me; I did not make this up. It is not a joke, it has really happened. I willingly believe this, at least because I have had to answer similar questions about the location of Belarus more than once. At the same time, I am happy that motorcyclists of South Dakota already know where it is. Yuri Shif asserts that when he was going to that championship, he was

confident of his Viktory. Vladimir Tsesler (he and Yuri are old friends) confirms it, “Shif asked me to make a T-shirt that he would wear on stage to receive the prize.” And Shif, wearing this T-shirt, did win, (or more accurately, two prizes, one champion prize in the ‘non-American engines’ category, and the bronze in the overall standings). It was black T-shirt with a rose and a three letter word. Try to guess which letters. Here’s a clue: it is not his name. page

Yuri Shif admits that one of the most difficult tasks during creation of ‘Time Machine’ was to put a guitar into the motorcycle. But he managed to do it!

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Certainly! 49 Provocative? But in America, among

the coarse motorcyclists who cannot read in Russian, it was almost safe. Did you really know that you would win? I cannot believe this. Certainly. (Shif in general, likes to speak in short phrases, making an interview a bit of a problem). Do you always know that you are the best? I am not the best, I simply know that I need it. But others don’t need it? I need it more. Why? Simply because someone always needs something more than others. Does it mean that you are a maximalist? Well, certainly. I address myself to his wife, Nastya, who sits beside him. Nastya is it difficult being with him? No, not really. [Judging by the brevity of the answer, Nastya has already mastered and learnt a similar manner of talking]. But here Yuri interrupts our conversation. “It is not just difficult with me, it is ver y difficult. Certainly, I torture people. However, is it easy for you now to speak with me?”

From a desire of the client for a motorcycle with two thousand skulls came the ‘Abordage2’

No, not easy, even though I was prepared for something like that. Very often when people create such beautiful things, they do not like to speak much about these things, nor about themselves. It means something like ‘I speak with my work’. Yuri Shif speaks with audible irony, and you do not always understand when he is serious and when he is joking. I try a more offensive approach. But sometimes you must have customers with difficult characters, like yours. How do you communicate with them? I tell them that I am a star, while I ask who they are. Now I cannot understand whether he jokes or is serious. Do you really say this to them? No, not really. After all, I have a commercial enterprise, and I need to pay people’s salaries. Therefore I usually say, ‘I am so happy that you have come to us, and we, of course, will make everything for you’. It is true, I sincerely believe it. It is necessary to appreciate a client; any owner of a commercial enterprise will tell you this. It is an axiom. It goes without saying that it is necessary to fulfil the whims of a client if he pays for them. But in the case of Shif, it d o e s n’ t always

work. Sometimes, instead of the ordered black motorcycle he gives a client a white motorcycle, sometimes instead of a car with two thousand skulls, he gives his customer a pirate kitsch (as he calls it himself) ‘Abordage’. The most paradoxical thing in these two scandalous (from a marketing point of view) stories is that clients are grateful and happy. Shif explains to me about the black motorcycle story. “I sincerely tried to make it as he asked. But it was impossible. At that time in 2008, there was a crisis. It was difficult to find a job at that time. I’ll try to explain — it is like with an artist, when he goes, for example, to the sea to paint. He knows that today he will sit near the sea but what will it be like; quiet or rough? He has no way of knowing. It is the same here. I understand that in the end there will be a motorcycle but what motorcycle? I do not know at the beginning.” But why are the owners happy? Because, in their own way, their motorcycles are the best. In 2011, ‘Abordage’ won the championship in Lithuania, while the white motorcycle ‘DUster’ won the championship in Italy one year earlier. Nastya, his wife and muse, says that, when Yuri starts to make a motorcycle, he tries to imagine ‘if this person was a motorcycle, what would he look like?’ That’s why there is a guitar instead of a seat in the ‘Time Machine’, and the beautiful ‘Gustav Skippone’ for the soloist of the group UmaTurman, Vladimir Krestovsky (he thought up the name himself, and only he himself knows what it means). Moreover, he

CRAFTSMANSHIP

The best motorcycles in the world appear in Yuri Shif’s workshop

always wants to create something really new, as was the case with ‘Abordage’. “I had to think up something. The customer came and said, ‘I want a motorcycle and there should be one thousand, two thousand, three thousand skulls on it’. It is all that he managed to think up. But there are already so many motorcycles with skulls. We will not do the same. Let us think up something new.” And do they trust you? Yes. Each customer gives us their total trust. According to Yuri Shif, ‘from 10 to 15 people’ work at the workshop, with some elements made on the side (Yuri uses the fashionable word ‘outsourcing’); these include leather articles and artistic details. Is it true that all people stand the exactingness of your character? “No, of course not,” he replies, sounding quite self-critical. “But there are people who have been working with me for 20 years, and together, we make all these bikes. Simply put, they trust me. It is not about money, it is about trust, which cannot be bought. What weighs with me the most are the people who surround me, my relatives and friends. Some people call it a family. But I would say, it is not only family, it concerns other people because I am responsible for them.” беларусь.belarus 2014

However he was unable to tell how many vehicles a year they make in the workshop: ‘It is difficult to name an exact number’. Manufacturing of each motorcycle is a long process, usually 6-9 months, but sometimes as much as a year, so the customer should trust the master, and also be patient. There have been cases when a customer’s circumstances changed. Times when they have refused to accept their motorcycles. Not because people did not like the end result, but because their situation had changed, “Sometimes it has happened that a person has said yes, everything is good, but I do not need it now. Not that the motorcycle was needless, but driving and everything connected to it. Maybe their residence or philosophy of life had changed and had become ‘I do not want, and I will not ride a motorcycle’.” You must admit that it would be strange, if the Motovelo Plant did not utilise his unique talent. He created for them an exhibition model ‘The Fastest M1nsk’, winning the ‘Born in the USSR’ category of the 2012 Russian Championship, and second place in the ‘Metric Motorcycle’ group in the same competition. However, another model went into production. So you established co-operation? “Certainly, we established cooperation, because there are children,” says Yuri Shif in usual manner — half in joke

and half-seriously. “If there are children, it means, there was love. We do something and at the same time we think what we will do further. For example, we made a motorcycle for the Minsk Plant which is produced in lots. We not only developed it, but also were engaged in launching it into manufacture. One model is being produced.” The following question, about Belarusian brands, arises quite naturally. What is necessary to be done so that we can be proud of them and the country which produces them? Yuri Shif is justifiably proud of Belarusian motorcycles that bear his name. It is necessary, even for the master who, during our conversation, more than once dwelled on what he called ‘a patriotic component’, and he has a real recipe how to make our life and the country better, based on personal experience. “I lived abroad. I did not like it, but I have a clear-eyed understanding that America, Germany, and all European countries became such because their residents made them such as they are today. They did not become as they are without effort. So, if we want to live in a good country, it means, we should make it good. I do this every day. If I do my work well, and if I can, even slightly, change the space around myself, or I make at least one person better, it is already quite good. In fact this is what I do. The motorcycle is just a tool. I did the same when I was engaged in carting; taught people to be winners. I will do the same tomorrow, if for example, I decide to make films. What difference does it make what you do? It is necessary just to do it well, because if we want to make the country better, we should all do it, at our own work. A cleaner should be the best at mopping floors, a journalist should be the best journalist, a minister should be a good minister, and so on, at each level. It is very simple. Sometimes I gather my guys and I say ‘Just imagine, what would happen if everyone in the country did their own work with the results we achieve?’ Can you imagine what country we would live in? It’s simple, it would be the best country in the world!” By Inessa Pleskachevskaya

Actors

Height of scenes Ivan Zhdanovich

of Viktor Gudinovich

he ‘Good’ nickname stuck to him easily, whether because of the reduction of his surname in kindergarten when he first saddled a wooden horse, or later, after the release of the film about a legendary archer of the army of Richard the Lionheart, Robin Hood, who hastened to the aid of the poor. The actor’s contemporaries call him Hood even today, while youth warmly call him Uncle Vitya. Does he deserve that? With this question in mind, I approached Olga Klebanovich, the national artiste of Belarus during the skit, which was arranged recently at the theatre in honour of the actor on the occasion of his anniversary. “There is nothing surprising about such warm treatment of my colleague,” Olga says. “Viktor is so benevolent, sympathetic and so helpful that it is possible even to call him ‘first aid’. Our young actors are convinced of it; therefore they fondly call him Uncle Vitya. And they prepared this skit so willingly, and with so much enthusiasm! Hood is a rare person, open and sincerely warm. Look in his eyes. They radiate light! And they at once warm a speaker. As for his profession, Viktor is very responsible. As an actor, he easily plays roles connected

In the theatre world, he is well known as the master of the scene. Therefore, maybe Viktor Gudinovich, a leading actor of the National Academic Drama Theatre named after Maxim Gorky, does not need to play the leading role each time. Directors know that he will play this or that scene of the play brighter than anyone else. As you know, there are no small roles... without which the skeleton of productions can do. Each of them makes its own indispensable stroke in the performance. On his 60th anniversary, Viktor Gudinovich appeared on stage in the role of Bobchinsky-Dobchinsky in Executor by Alexey Dudarev. with the theme of human unselfishness. Those who saw his performance in Extraordinary Adventures of Soldier Chonkin by V. Voinovich, will understand what I am talking about. While his Beni in Difficult People or the Groom from Jerusalem by Yosef BarYosef is a miraculous interpretation of a shoemaker. It was very easy for me to work in this performance because he is also a remarkable partner.” The record of service of roles by Viktor Gudinovich is huge. I have seen many shows in which he performed. Therefore, I understand Olga Klebanovich’s judgements about her colleague. He is indeed one of those actors who are remembered in even the tiniest roles, and not because of his distinctive appearance, resembling Al Pacino. Each small remark of the actor, each gesture and every breath of his characters is poignant. Therefore, his roles are always noticed. Viktor has enough psychologism and expression even in other big works, such, as the Housekeeper in Russian Vaudevilles under the direction of Sergey Kovalchik, or in such famous performances of Yevgeny Yershov — Dinner of Fools (Cheval), Theatrical Vehicle (Director of the theatre), as well as in Modest Abramov’s Rainmaker (Starbuck). With pleasure, I introduce him to the readers of the magazine, as the next visitor to our editorial office.

Viktor, tell me please, how did you become an actor? And when did you understand, that you cannot live without the theatre? I started gaining actor’s experience in kindergarten. When I was four years old, in one morning performance, I played the role of ‘herdsboy’ in the dance Savka and Grishka. I remember how I was put into a straw hat, and then I ‘got into character’ with great pleasure and started to dance. Everybody smiled, and I was happy to see this. Perhaps this kindergarten debut initiated my actor’s career. My peers in the kindergarten and in school liked how I transformed. I will not hide that it was a pleasure for me to please others. I liked to joke and entertain people, though I am not a comic in everyday life. I always had leading roles in the school performances. However, when I finished school I decided to enter medical university. Probably, it happened because my mother, Tamara Vasilievna, was a medic. However, I did not manage to enter. Probably the creative genes of my grandfather, Ivan Grigorievich Gudinovich, who lived in Bobruisk and served as the head of the post office, appeared to be stronger. My grandfather played the violin and was a good painter too. His talent for drawing transferred both to my father, and to my elder brother, Yuri. Yuri Gudinovich is a well-known artist who works with metal. However, my father, Vladimir Ivanovich, 2014 беларусь.belarus

Actors was unable to develop such abilities, as the war began. He was in the war, and even reached Bulgaria. My mother was in a concentration camp. My parents have never liked to speak about

the war. My father, by the way, was among those who built the first metro in Minsk and broke up metal constructions for it. What do you remember about your student’s years? As far as I know, your department was friendly and rich in talent? out s om e t h i ng Yes, it is true. After special. All my all, I studied with years of study were those whose names wonderful. Every are well-known day was full of explotoday. Alexey sions of knowledge. D u d a r e v, It was like a discovery S e r g e y of something new. My Zhuravel, student years have left T a t i a n a the feeling of a holiday in Likhacheva, my mind. Certainly, there Yevgeny Yershov, were many difficulties; Yu r i Ku l i k a n d almost all the students of Gennady Shkuratov, my year were one or two Alexander Ivanovich years older than me. For Butakov was our me, they were like adults, teacher. He was able more skilled. Therefore, I to do it masterfully. was the junior, an openFrom all my student mouthed listener. But we Landmarks of the actor’s life are life it is very difficult liked to study and we were his roles. Big ones and small ones for me to sing le sure that none of us would беларусь.belarus 2014

lose the interest in the acting profession. We had a huge desire to comprehend it. Hav e not y o u lost it? If I had lost it, I would not have worked at the theatre. As for desire to comprehend a profession, it occurs ever y time when rehearsals begin, or when you appear on the stage. Nevertheless, when the actor is occupied in the repertoire not so much, so treacherous thoughts appear. Does your self-estimation decrease? I am a man. Nothing human is alien to me. You should not worry about that, after all such masters of the scene, as Viktor Gudinovich, are few and far between. However, actors always dream of big roles. I also dreamt, and I dream still. This is the actor’s normal desire. Just remember at least such great actors of theatre, as Sergey Filippov who was able to reveal the character of a hero in three minutes. People were greedily speaking about him, as a master of scenes. Your roles are also remembered, not only thanks to your similarity to Al Pacino. People have probably told you about this similarity to the talented Italian. Your small roles, in my opinion, are filled with huge internal life. You prove once again, Stanislavsky’s wellknown statement. There are no small roles, there are only small actors. As soon as I appeared on the stage, people at once began to say that I was similar to Al Pacino. When I was young, I liked to hear that. Now, I treat it with humour, and even with light self-irony. After all, the outward similarity is of little significance. As it is known, we differ from each other psychologically. After all even twins are different. My attitude to roles is responsible, to any of them, and to small roles page

Actors

first of all. It cannot be any different. Theoretically speaking, your journey in your profession is divided into four periods: Vitebsk, Mogilev, TYuZ and current — Gorky. At what theatre it was most comfortable for you to work? Each of them, including this current period, which continues for me at the Russian theatre, has given something to me. After graduation from the institute, I, together with other Minsk residents, among them there was also Tatiana Nenarokomova, my future wife, with whom I fell in love as a student, were placed on a job in Vitebsk, in the Yakub Kolas Theatre. Tanya married me in Vitebsk, though she had many admirers. She is wonderful, intelligent, clever, and from a very good family. In Vitebsk, I appeared on the stage for the first time in a real theatre, in a remarkable performance — Symon, the Musician, in a role of an Innkeeper, which was staged by Valery Mazynsky. In Vitebsk, I performed under the well-known Belarusian director, Valery Maslyuk, who worked at the Yakub Kolas Theatre. I appreciated him as a director because he was able to open actor’s individuality. In the same place, in Vitebsk, I understood that I know nothing about my profession. Study is one thing, while practice is absolutely another. And then, when Maslyuk moved to Mogilev, did you go after him? Yes, together with Tatiana we went after him. In my creative biography, it was a period of significant discoveries in my profession. I played many leading roles in Mogilev. N. Gogol’s Balzaminov’s Marriage (Balzaminov), Yanka Kupala’s Local People (Nikita Znosak), M. Bulgakov’s Dog’s Heart (Sharikov) and Molière’s Don Juan (Don Juan). And it was there where I understood that it is impossible to become strong in your profession once and for all. As soon as you think that have achieved something in it, the stage gives you a new tests. The actor in this sense should be very flexible. It was very comfortable to work there. By the way, it was also interesting to play hares and other animals

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in TYuZ. There, I understood that it is necessary to perform even better for young audiences, who hear the fraud from your first words. The things which an adult spectator will forgive, politely keeping silent, will be roughly expressed by children, who show their discontent directly during a performance, without recourse to decencies. What is your best theatrical work, which is the most favourite among all others? Oh, I do not want to say that platitude that ‘all roles are my favourite’. Maybe, God willing, one of them is still ahead. It will be better if I tell you about the unloved

that he or she did not manage to do something. After all, tomorrow, everyone can appear in the same position. Different situations may occur at the theatre. And incidents can happen with everyone. Not so long ago, in Executor, where I

one. There was one such role, when I just did not understand what I should do in it. It was a performance of The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles by Bernard Shaw. In it I played the role of Iddy. I did not like it at all. But why? The role has not been well developed initially, and I did not understand whom I should play. Alexander Abdulov believed that his stage partner is never guilty. He said in one interview, that, if something goes wrong, it means that something wrong with him. What do you think about this? I have never thought differently. How it is possible to accuse your partner 2014 беларусь.belarus

Actors Theatre workers say that Uncle Vitya is the life and soul of a party. They also tell about your responsibility to the acting profession and that you are an example for youth. And about that the theme of human unselfishness is easy for you, because it reflects your individuality. Is it pleasant for you? I would be lying if I began to confirm the opposite. Certainly, it is pleasant for me to hear such kind words. It is also pleasant to feel the respect and sympathy of young actors, without speaking about such artistic leaders as, as Olga Klebanovich, Alexander Tkachenok, Vladimir Shelestov, Valery Shushkevich and Ivan Matskevich. More than once, I happened to see you relaxed, improvising in skits. What special features do such skits have, and

In the mosaic of roles, almost all of them are dear to Viktor Gudinovich

play Bobchinsky-Dobchinsky, there is a gambling scene. Responding to the line ‘seven’, I was supposed to reply ‘eight’! But, for some horrific reason, suddenly said: ‘hearts’. My co-stars could hardly stop from falling under the table from laughter, but it is necessary to finish a scene to the end, so that the audience will not realise that something went wrong. Fortunately, everything worked out well. But I am certainly ashamed that I made such a goof. беларусь.belarus 2014

why they are so loved by actors, not to mention audiences? Everything is simple. Skit is freedom. The director does not loom over actors who make skits. The director certainly exists, but he also improvises together with all of us. Sometimes, the director corrects something. After all outside opinion is necessary. We, the actors, are easily carried away, and someone should send our creative stream in the right direction.

You have lived a great life at the theatre, gained experience in your profession, and also in your private life. What makes you happy today, and what saddens you? I have a reliable friend, my wife Tanya, who is always with me throughout all my life. And she is my happiness. Tanya works in an audio recording studio, records books for the visually impaired. Her voice, according to those who listens to the audiobooks, perfectly conveys the feelings of the characters. And even treats them, calming them. My wife and I have experienced many happy minutes. However, in 2006, we experienced a tragedy: our son Artem, who had graduated from the acting department and then the directing department at the Arts Academy, went missing in Russia under mysterious circumstances. We now have to live with this heavy burden. Our belief supports and strengthens us. The best of life is still ahead. Our daughter, Anna, lives with us. She is a psychologist, not yet married and pleases us with many surprising psychological things, helping us to understand ourselves. Moreover, she is a person with great, natural drawing talent. Probably, as my brother says, Anna should develop this gift, she should study. At the theatre, it is youth which makes me happy. It is very strong, talented and beautiful. It was an honour to see, how finely the young actors, under Alexandra Vergunova’s leadership, performed a skit on the occasion of my recent anniversary. I become sad from time to time, because of my thoughts. I am afraid that I may lose faith in myself, in life. By receiving a pension certificate, I suddenly discovered for myself that this is as if a one-way ticket. Sometimes I think about my health, that it will not let me down. After all, we waste it godlessly in youth, without thinking about the limit of the reserves of the human body. If it was possible to turn back time, what would you change in your life? What professional direction would you choose? I have never thought about it. Probably, I would become a good doctor. I like this profession. It is a kind profession, although it deals with human pain. Just like the theatre, it also treats people’s souls. By Valentina Zhdanovich

KALEIDOSCOPE

Beauty among beauties in Southern Palmyra Belarusian Natalia Trofimova among top three at international competition Mrs. Europe-2013, held in Odessa

Well-founded ambitions Arena Circus Studio from Mozyr plans to conquer audiences in USA, Turkey, the Baltic States and the CIS

he Circus Art Studio was recently awarded with the Special Prize of the President of Belarus, bestowed upon figures of culture and arts for significant contributions to the development and popularisation of amateur circus art. The Mozyr-based group unites around a hundred children, and is gaining popularity far beyond Belarusian borders. In over seven years of activity, it has taken part in the most prestigious international contests and festivals, at the highest level. The complex shows performed by the youngsters have conquered juries of children and adults, at competitions in circus art. In particular, the group won

he title Mrs Europe and the winner’s crown were given to the Russian entrant, with second place belonging to the participant from Austria; third place went to Belarusian Natalia Trofimova. In all, 17 beauties from 15 countries took part, all being married (with or without children). The beauties not only took part in the contest but had time to admire the wonderful sights of Southern Palmyra, and to join in charitable events. For the forum, Natalia prepared Belarusian gifts for the participants of the competition, as well as for children from social shelters. She presented a special souvenir to the mayor of Odessa.

bronze at the 10th Chinese International Circus Festival, in Wuhan, against adult circus troupes from 16 countries — an important achievement. “Over our years of activity, our studio has won 12 international circus art contests. Our artistes have made a name for themselves due to Viktories in Italy, as well as across the CIS and Baltic States. They’ve also become popular on the Russian Minute of Fame TV programme. Many graduates of our Arena Studio are now working in Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and elsewhere. In 2014, we plan to take our group to the USA for a summer tour. Soon, we’ll participate in the Ukraine Has Talent show,” notes the head of the Arena Studio, Boris Kuznetsov. 2014 беларусь.belarus