Belarus (magazine #12 2021)

MAGAZINE

No. 12 (1059), DECEMBER, 2021 Беларусь. Belarus

BELARUS

Politics. Economy. Culture

ISSN 0320-7544

WELCOMING THE NEW YEAR IN A GOOD MOOD The day before a ball for college and university students was held in Vitebsk, which brought together about a hundred representatives of talented youth from all over the region

NEWSPAPER FROM BELARUS

ГОЛАС РАДЗІМЫ EDITION OF THE "ГОЛАС РАДЗІМЫ" IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.ZVIAZDA.BY

The newspaper for fellow countrymen: well-known and well-read 1

Газета з БелаРусі

Голас Радзімы

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21 н ПА а, ан № лен ржаў о з’яўм св дзен цю агу ў: у зінст сіл, ТЭ часПрэзідэнта Беларусі Ро l l чан Го інтэрв’ю дзеянні, спрабавалі разам з РТ бел трапінас губляюць ва, кр някія ляк кар ляе ятам ьнадзею е яе ям не ІН СЕ ў 1 д д р ая м 7 аі ар эк і ці, цЕўрасаюза, са АЛ н я е Ў Р на брыкраіны дзецьмі праз Беларусь, беларурод ныць .уЗап л у ца . “Там вер потым ка аі нАляксандра Вад тар Лукашэнкі ару сЕ ыска-польскую а з давы асн саў падтанскай Е Z АДА, нац аветзапперад Ба пес ыя г Лу найі ,выступіў Інстндыд ел ю эк ілі ў Ц зімедыякампаніі аветсімваімі,у ш мяжу трапіць у адказваў ВВС. “К а Ж я -б п і м ка 2 ы Й йк ні ў у сц о к лі но раян ам VIA 9 ВЕ ш зям пытанні. Лак ыінтэрв’ю ам лам то дат аліверсія ту ат гіст – на ў тым, Еўропу, Германію: вы Поўная яко кав у ты нашкія р ал ТА раз У ч энна зыЗаходнюю ка. лі", альн бе“Праўда РА м раг буд белардля мл ошу дап міну У пр ы Д прым іза, та гіст ары іў ы у Z С е ас – ае с Ы зе С н н у 4 та што мы ні ў якім каб уратавацца там ад бяды. і, а . п п ім наг е DA м Ка ар. я ы ы у л я Н пр і род 17 ня алас у пр ор чны ад чы чым уск ас р. 6 вы ”Ч і ў Зям шы біт ўн і зм ар е не кнем адаўразе Аднак не адбудзем .B Я, 202 оў зінст суве пак ай ка эк вер народ я р ыва ыі Н х нав Ст польскія сілавікі жорЫ : “Уступл жы ва рэн аа. І бел просьблючыюл на та ў пер з арсклюНзіавіцк ў Y чак квап ся д гуляць 1 агл гось спер асня наг ашэн тнас АН ук, і рабіць стка, сілай, з грубымі парушэнў А і м ітэт ІМ к ы я каг ныя наг зям іліс а мір дач ення эк , а сто ядва ці пактаў гу або а ад не абці, ад Белар дыпад ыц анаў танн ць у ДЗ ы нямі і міжнародных пагадненПр на лякса ір на лег ю адо і Б адва лі. Н я на палітыку йва цц ры чал 1 зінст п зн усі авіц моц чужі сяб нен мат пед касм вяр ёс Т. А ітацы ца д нд ць а н ўд РА нях эзідэн што елас ем сё ам вашых ва рап ач няў, і элементарных а 4 Аl ро лёсах”... а р а Н озаконаў то эры ы свае а ка зім. дум ліста , га ано аў: да ля эце АН біл едац С т яш ОД ай ыБеларусі рад В точч нн св“У ка ўства з гао к г легпачалі чалавечай маралі чн я: у рэа нав кр Ды ялаў пас тэрн ж 5Г нац госьц Але ка: м пада, вары ве ава, уж ЛА во , і ільн ын я ім п го ха равай . М сімі чэ у я выця95 а” А ссаіі, сваёй ыян і, м мы аўл і лі 19 ыць не “Наз ін арта зіць аў . сняць бежанцаў тэрыы н мы лер ас, ніка: ям рым зем я – а – товы ра пзрабіць этыАба не к ае. аб усё ГО А1 3 ся то ў яц а л ап д н ч гэ іж гэ эп яў “ н л то о 9 ы ік ! а к і альн п е п , сь Ш косм гутарыць рАляксандр ве -г ам льк аўж Мы ка ол ы абн нзацбежанцамі та П ет ан ы Р е, бежанцаў, У ва та для торыі.зір Нао Гродзеншчыне белаахо аб уЛукашэнка ВІК НЕ тр гад Аж ыя авін авін мы пр ежні елар да іхн ку зг а. Яш праў і ар ды ыян нутр кол. такс бел што нав вала- і в ыт тр у кас кар аджаяа-ас ой д СА с н ір якія трапілі ў рускія пагранічнікі зафіксавалі Н ар н р ад Б н ы яй ы А н х ат М ін ам ч Б а к ы аз ы ал сн з Н ів ду Р ел ва э тар ад ў іАб’яСова не ек , ы ам ьн кан ы ж а бе уск ма ма Гетакіх антыгуманных ла тры тысячы, сяродмбежанцаў , 5 дзір прав ве інн ў ач эн ы у, у то ў ёназбеларускага ДА ія аспа–меж ЗК Ктам эсы ха ато тады юць й цяп пра мо ”... Ш ва р дн нствораны аш ае фесійбяду”... кадзясяткі ларТакая ан су п і боку п жа ік Мах зем ток пр ў ц ўропар. 3 а анн ўмовы: ага адзі зіцыя та ты ЦА ам 9”, ынцыарнаўабытавыя 6-й згаддзілі. рыя мал мін ер л пад гуць і у н ра кіраўніка у тым ліку і з чала- шмат дзяцей, жанчын (ёсць і кнеабходныя ВЫ л і ная выпадкаў, Е Ст а нал 6 ад акс ЕЦ ал е БС грам нстваая р гэта скі го і, стар вёр ці людзі 37 ваў Тат й “за адо улае юдзі зеі пры Ста вы С-1 пед ор – твечымі ьнК ннойначлег аўн не ахвярамі. У прымежных цяжарныя). ўзецяпле, ДА ст земаюць СР іад дзяржавы, яго гіад па не а м пол й п , ш пав ве ад -які р. 7 чац якас М аэкс гі а мл л арі. Ааннто Зах 39 раз ой я “з аў раёнах Польшчы аб’яўлена цяВЫ ьс ам то з ін рРазгорнута р і З ства – неп аваг ўгаперааж рас аё лазня, Больш за тыдзень таму устала ац стўо скякыоцўы іыпалявая -ы іч яд сваў ”. Ш одн ою кежу. . эс ах ўпэўнены … убіт , 193 кім ч яці адбіл анаг ня ару а і лас ер П ш з нмыяаказваецца ыкі то амат ред -мн пуб од яй “С іка пры ) п ы 0 го ас наз ас а пер надзвычайнае становішча, зразумела, што на мяжы завяш-міграе, Зта нае то п яй я. аесв сп ан ццнеабходнасці чы пл 2п2адаса -бы лікі надоленні ро ям Бел бее л аход льн еромеддапамога.

20 ев л л льмэнБежанцам сцен у ў да н ам” у аўсё я ў он Шка жпр едэк пол здарадар Белар ч а пве крызітам сканцэнтраваныя ваенныя заўся тугі вузел праблем і хутка арўу нС яй зелрэгуару іа-вао, ка –цыйнага р і га ыў пац вал усі наг адаў а лай гал арад шко ды. ь, ьс гэ зак тон ьк ў о ст ак у ск л Б сі кр Куды ж ім цяпер ісці?.. і та мяжы. Ён ка ў і сілы. Хвалі бежанцаў ніяк не яго не развязаць. Тады па да-пр лярна ісу на і ве аву ж лы та цік гуманітарел у ч ягр зедастаўляюць ы Бяр сум й дэфе ка яго- . ацУ ойапдта ічассуд лякю у ён авуыБіяалделарарйу зыма глян ж рш (від энн ты нц КС Ан вм н 20 ы сяда ппрыае дапамогу: пададзначыў, што з могуць прабіць глухую сця- ручэнні Прэзідэнта ў транспарт- пррную сё ,збору аснта уц о сіе,. озе на ык- ац я, а ху бяе н Х ен т ў аш са аз : ь сё ас ва з вазе сотні с М тоьк зі ей агіт ь з м і,н цДі а Беларусі валанцёраў ўжо было эвакуя- ютуб-канале “АТН: новости ну Еўрасаюза, і ўрэшце няш- на-лагістычным цэнтры побач з гаўзеключаны но рэў -Кар вяд зівы е даакадум лнпа ікоал аднедадрнам святых ваоддтнар ку: Мты л зе а блац ів і. Надбпытаенам пак- вана з н н асцак най іра пам с ліл чал тузс омай Беларуси и мира” па спасылчасныя людзі вымушаныя пагранпераходам “Брузгі” (які адзнўсёй 0-г краіне. а ыванц таў,ад азал а на радзіму каля тысячы ь ав і, яшпта маранагйа н“п ёр і, го авек кай міч ндз дат ач5 “З коўмае чБеларусі аі лвасіч ша-мігрантаў. оцвязді у(д пад “Але я хачу, каб вы і цы https://www.youtube.com/ былі стварыць стыхійны лагер цяпер закрыты) быў створаны яэкў нцеыта крАлякТ ыся кас кама не Што дачас лкі , “б . мят а 17 ацХПрэзідэнт ь. пал ае я,бел –тоу а” бел авац лет ь, кузр ал ды(г цавамыі эн КС дён ыбезведалі. ац ,сандр ве то ШЛукашэнка, watch?v=FMd1Zk7CbXE&t=1s . прама на беларуска-польскай часовы пункт размяшчэння беай лае ва ў да на. пад о на пр ынаведваючы ц ару ьні ў якім разе не ы- аргу Мы но до УС ільдь і–ве расвен),тоія рзнолд.ан“Дфер ТЭ ай куМіказум то аныння” дн зе саў, гіст піс , заст сіх слслова гці пы Іван Ждановіч мяжы. Іх колькасць перавыша- жанцаў. Дзякуючы намаганням будзем груч 3;: “Б зелніч шнл гр,уш я і -кач етранспартна-лао АН лне-ап мвас ро сад ск асЕ ey26. длістапада ен затрымліваць, аў н шею

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COLLECTIVE INTERACTION

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Integration "dome" is a timely solution As is well known, the heads of the CIS member states adopted in October a Statement on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Commonwealth – following the meeting of the Council in the format of a videoconference

10 Within the sphere of State responsibility

PRESIDENT.GOV.BY

This conversation of the President of Belarus with the Director General of the International News Agency "Russia Today" Dmitry Kiselev stood out in a series of recent interviews of Alexander Lukashenko to representatives of mainly foreign mass media

turned out to be the main link in 16 "...We the USA and NATO pressure on Russia" Interview of Alexander Lukashenko to the correspondent of the Turkish TV and radio company TRT Nisa Efendioglu

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Беларусь. Belarus

IN THE ISSUE

Social and political magazine No. 12 (1059), 2021 Published since 1930 Founders: Zviazda Publishing House editorialand-publishing establishment Editor-in-Chief: Viktor Kharkov Executive Secretary: Valentina Zhdanovich

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NOT TO BREAK UP THE LINK OF TIMES...

Editorial office address: 220013 Minsk, Belarus, 19 Zakharova Street Tel.: +375 (17) 263-80-12. www.zviazda.by E-mail: belarus.mag@mail.ru Subscription index – 220034 Registration Certificate No. 8 issued on 16.07.2018 by the Information Ministry of the Republic of Belarus Design and Layout by Fasevich Alina

Forum event – "Samson and Delilah"

32 The opera of the French

composer Camille SaintSaens "Samson and Delilah" opened the 11th Minsk International Christmas Opera Forum

capital inspires 40 The creativity

Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery hosted the exhibition "My Minsk – My Inspiration."

Беларусь. Belarus is published in Belarusian, English and Chinese.

The magazine is distributed to 50 countries worldwide.

Final responsibility for factual accuracy and interpretation lies with publication authors. Should any article of Беларусь. Belarus be used, reference to the magazine is obligatory.

The editorial office does not bear responsibility for contents of advertisements.

Signed for printing on 29.12.2021 Offset printing. Coated paper.

Format 60х84 1⁄8.

Conventional printed sheets 5.58 Accounting published sheets 7.14 Total circulation – 684

copies (261 – in English) Order

Benyakoni.

44 Voronovo.

Bolteniki Travel notes about a hiking adventure in Grodno region, near the border with Lithuania

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

Republican unitary enterprise "BudMedyyaPrayekt" Licence No. 02330/71 on 23.01.2014 220123 Minsk, Belarus, 13/61 V. Khoruzhey Street

© Zviazda Publishing House editorial-and-publishing establishment, 2021

PANORAMA `` Measures have impact The world is recovering after the pandemic. The global economy is gaining momentum. Against the background of the restrictive measures introduced by the West, the closure of various commodity distribution flows, Belarus adheres to the course of import substitution and search for new sales markets, and improves its marketing strategy.

High global ranking Belarus managed to ensure food security Today, enough food products are produced in the country to saturate the domestic market. Moreover, against the backdrop of the pandemic and tough competition in the world market, we managed to increase exports. From 2010 to 2020, the supply of domestic products increased by more than one and a half times. Last year alone, exports totaled almost $6 billion. In January – September 2021, food products and agricultural raw materials in the amount of about $5 billion have already been exported, which amounts to 112 percent compared to the same period last year. Foreign exchange earnings growth is $529 million.

Domestic goods are known and appreciated all over the world. For example, Belarus holds the position of the leading exporter of dairy products along with the EU, New Zealand, the USA and Australia. "According to the data of the European Commission, the country ranks 3rd in the export of butter, whey and condensed milk, 4th in the supply of cheese, 5th in the export of skimmed milk

powder. Belarusian food products and agricultural raw materials are exported to 104 countries," – Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Subbotin outlined a positive trend.

How e v e r, d e s pit e s e r i ou s achievements, the country has potential for growth. Particular attention will be paid to further d e v e l opm e nt of a g r i c u ltu r a l organizations, expansion of the capacity of the domestic market, as well as increase of the export potential through effective integration. It is of special importance that in the global food security index foreign experts highly appreciated the level of preparation of national programs and the development of regulatory documents in the field of quality of Belarusian goods. And according to the global food security ranking, the Republic of Belarus in 2020 took 23rd place out of 113 countries.

Industry remains the main driver of growth. "The economy is growing steadily: plus 2.4 percent in 10 months," – Deputy Minister of Economy Tatiana Brantsevich quotes the figures. – Enterprises have built effective strategies for the production and sales of products, modified their financial flows."

This, undoubtedly, has a positive effect on tax receipts to the budget and on the dynamics of wages. Today the state has more opportunities to fulfill its social obligations. As a result, the level of poverty of the population is decreasing. "This indicator in the third quarter compared to the same period last year decreased by 0.8 percentage points – up to 4 percent," – said Tatiana Brantsevich. – The dynamics in rural areas is especially impressive, i.e. minus two percentage points."

Thus, the "salary scissors" are gradually converging. That is, the share of people with a low level of per capita income is decreasing due to their transition to a higher category.

According to the National Statistical Committee, in the country as a whole, real wages (with account of the growth of consumer prices for goods and services) in January – October compared to the corresponding period of 2020 increased by 4.8 percent.

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At the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the President of Belarus spoke in fundamental ways on key issues on the agenda of the integration association

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In particular, the head of state noted the fact that, despite the difficult situation in the world market, this year the countries of the union have achieved quite good results in foreign and mutual trade. "Almost all the countries of our union have double-digit growth in exports to foreign markets – this is a good signal. And it’s not only the effect of deferred demand or the low base of last year," – Alexander Lukashenko stressed.

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Relevance of common markets The President of Belarus also noted the fact that the implementation of the strategic directions for the development of Eurasian economic integration until 2025 is proceeding as planned. "Despite some difficulties, the ongoing work on the formation of common markets for the union continues. At the same time, a number of issues of a fundamental nature remain with regard to the creation of common markets for gas, oil and oil products, – stated Alexander Lukashenko. – I think we will be able to discuss these issues in person in the near future."

Optimization matters more than ever At the current meeting, the Agreement on the use of navigation seals for tracking shipments in the EAEU was submitted for signing. It is one of the main elements of the unified customs transit system of the Union that is under formation. "Digitalization of transportation today fully corresponds to the spirit of the times. The use of such seals will increase the level of trust in trade between our countries, optimize control measures at internal borders, and increase the transit attractiveness of the union," – said Alexander Lukashenko.

Life dictates changes Another document submitted for signing is the second Large Protocol on Amendments to the Treaty on the Union, which deals with a wide range of issues: implementation of anti-dumping measures in relation to third countries, competition and state price regulation, collection of indirect taxes and mechanism of control over their payment, technical regulation and many others. "Everything that is dictated by life," – noted the head of the Belarusian state.

Cooperation on the international track At the same time, in accordance with the approved Main Directions of the EAEU's international activities for 2022, Alexander Lukashenko suggested to focus on several key issues. According to him, joint work on the external circuit and the activities of the Eurasian Economic Commission should be focused primarily on solving practical problems of development of export of goods and services. "China occupies a special place here. I consider it necessary to focus on interaction

with this country within the integration of the EAEU development plans, the Belt and Road Initiative and the 2018 Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation," – emphasized the President of Belarus.

Alexander Lukashenko considers it necessary to continue the dialogue with Egypt and Iran to complete negotiations on free trade agreements, to intensify it with Israel. It is also expected that preliminary work with Indonesia and Mongolia will soon be completed and a decision will be made on the feasibility of starting negotiations with these countries on a free trade zone.

The President of Belarus is confident that effective protection of the EAEU economic interests should become an integral part of international activities both in 2022 and in the long term.

Approaches should be universal The Head of State noted that the current favorable situation in foreign trade is cyclical, and in order to maintain the positive dynamics of economic growth, in 2022 the EAEU partners should focus on the implementation of a number of measures. According to Alexander Lukashenko, first of all, it is necessary to intensify industrial cooperation in the joint production of new products that are in demand on the world market.

"An important practical step in this direction will be the agreement on the list of joint large-scale high-tech projects, as well as determination of conditions for their financing and implementation. We are working on such projects with the Russian Federation," – said the President. – To solve this problem in the coming years, we need to pay special attention to the introduction of innovative technologies in order not to lose foreign markets. The accumulation of joint efforts and the scientific potential of our countries will make it possible to do this with maximum efficiency."

Another necessary element for harmonious development of industry and successful cooperation in this area is, according to the President of Belarus, the convergence of instruments and conditions of state support for industry in the EAEU countries. He urged the partners to take a responsible approach to this topic: "Within the framework of a common public procurement market next year, it is necessary to ensure mutual recognition of the electronic digital signature and to determine at the Union level a set of measures БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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for further digitalization of public procurement in our countries. For these purposes, we also have to resolve not a new issue, i.e. mutual recognition of the guarantees issued by the banks of our countries."

Besides, taking into account recently adopted by the parties Statement on cooperation within the climate agenda, as well as the goals declared by the world's leading economies for moving towards a low-carbon economy, Alexander Lukashenko considers it necessary to study the feasibility of adjusting the provisions of the development strategy in the EAEU and the plan for its implementation. "I believe that conscientious work in these areas should bring maximum returns and ensure significant progress in the implementation of the strategy provisions," – summed up the head of state.

Relying on own strength What else did the President of Belarus talk about at the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council? The head of the Belarusian state acquainted his colleagues with what is happening in the country, how relations with the West are developing. The situation in Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko noted, is the first issue on the international news agenda: "The United States and the collective West, as we call them, will not budge from their policy. They need reasons to put pressure on our fraternal Russia and us as well."

The main reason for escalation of tension by the West today is refugees. The President of Belarus noted: "We, as well as you, the former post-Soviet republics, did not create this problem, but this is used as a reason for pressure primarily on Belarus."

Yes, the EAEU countries are still subject to Western pressure to varying degrees. But, Alexander Lukashenko is convinced, it will only grow: "We have information that visitors from Western countries and the United States of America have already gone to your foreign ministries, persuading you to join the pressure on the Republic of Belarus. You know that there is the fifth package of sanctions against Belarus. They say that they are preparing both the sixth and the seventh, and no one knows how many others. This is the economic pressure to strangle Belarus, to replace, as they directly say, not only the authorities, but also the state system in the Republic of Belarus."

Collective support is important The head of state drew attention to the fact that Minsk has to confront all these destructive problems. The President of Belarus addressed his colleagues: "First of all, I thank our Russia for the support in this regard and all the heads of state who provide us with all possible support. But I emphasize again: figuratively speaking, you will be strangled, incited against Belarus, so that you join these sanctions against our country. My request is to be together, because this pressure will grow. The West will not limit itself to this pressure on Belarus and Russia."

Alexander Lukashenko noted that during the face-to-face meeting there will be an opportunity to discuss some problems: "One thing is clear that the real goal of the West is to systematically destroy competitors. This situation clearly demonstrated that we have no friends there. Therefore, we must rely only on our own strength."

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Vladimir Putin, President of Russia: – Despite the difficult conditions associated with the coronavirus pandemic and volatility in global markets, interaction within the EAEU has developed very productively.

We see that through joint efforts in recent years, we have succeeded in increasing mutual trade. For nine months of 2021, the volume of trade between the member states of the Union exceeded the same indicator of the pre-Covid 2019.

Counter investments, the financial sector and the labor market demonstrate stable dynamics. The process of improvement of the common legislation of the Eurasian Union goes on. It is being brought into line with the new large-scale tasks of integration construction. Observer states are more and more get involved in the activities of the EAEU... Integration developing within the EAEU attracts the attention of other foreign states as well.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan: – Despite external factors and quarantine restrictions, macroeconomic indicators still demonstrate stability and growth dynamics. There is a significant increase in exports between the EAEU countries. For example, Kazakhstan export volumes grew by 39 percent. Exports of other member countries of the Union also increased in comparable numbers. This indicates the dynamic development of trade and economic cooperation, the improvement of its structure and growth of the competitiveness of the relevant industries.

Nursultan Nazarbayev, Honorary Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, First President of Kazakhstan: – Thirty years ago, time required the adoption of new bold decisions. It was necessary to urgently restore the destroyed trade ties between our states. I am sure that the countries that are geographically close, have common traditions and history, have no other ways but to develop on the basis of joint mutually beneficial integration. It took two decades of hard work by all countries, but today this idea has become a reality. During its existence, the EAEU has confirmed that the members of the Union are reliable partners, allies that effectively help each other.

Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia: – An important aspect of the Eurasian integration development and one of the main criteria for interaction between the EAEU should be the development of the internal market of

SPUTNIKNEWS.RU

FROM THE SPEECHES OF THE SESSION PARTICIPANTS

the Union. It is ensuring the functioning of the internal market free of barriers, restrictions and exemptions that will become a powerful impetus for the economic and industrial growth of our states, increase of their competitiveness, business improvement, additional jobs creation, and unemployment reduction.

Sadyr Japarov, President of Kyrgyzstan: – The current crisis and its detrimental impact require special attention to the issue of sustainable development of the integration association... It is necessary to jointly introduce effective mechanisms to support and implement cooperation projects, create logistics infrastructure and trade distribution systems that will have a positive impact on the increase in the volume of exports of goods and the development of our economies in general. With the growth of external inflationary factors and in order to increase the competitiveness of our economies, it is necessary to more actively use national currencies in settlements.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan: – A year has passed since Uzbekistan joined the EAEU as an observer. During this period, we have laid a solid foundation for a long-term relationship. Systematic and efficient work with the EAEU has been built. We are consistently moving forward in matters of convergence of national legislation with the norms of the Eurasian Economic Union. Uzbekistan foreign trade turnover with the EAEU countries increased by 30 percent over 11 months of this year. As an urgent task that requires a joint solution, I consider it necessary to further remove barriers and restrictions in mutual trade.

Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, President of the Republic of Cuba: – We express our solidarity and support to the Republic of Belarus and its President, Mr. Lukashenko, in resisting the attempts of the West to destabilize the situation in the country. We also join the efforts of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, in attempts to stop NATO advance towards the Russian borders.

On behalf of the Cuban people, I thank your states for supporting Cuba’s efforts to combat pandemics and the blockade...

I reaffirm a deep commitment of Cuba to active participation in the Eurasian Economic Union as an observer state.

Alexey Fedosov

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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CIS IS 30 YEARS OLD

On the occasion

of the anniversary The President of Belarus, Chairman of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States Alexander Lukashenko congratulated the leaders of the CIS, as well as Chairman of the Executive Committee – Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergei Lebedev on the 30th anniversary of the organization "Over the past years, the organization has covered a long and difficult path, has proved its relevance and effectiveness. Today the Commonwealth is the largest regional integration association in the post-Soviet space with a unique dialogue platform that ensures close interaction between the participating states in the political, economic, humanitarian and other spheres on the basis of equality and partnership," – said Alexander Lukashenko. The head of state expressed his conviction that thanks to the joint efforts of the CIS, it will continue to find adequate answers to the challenges and threats of our time, remaining an integral and important factor in international life.

By the way, an exhibition dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States was opened in Minsk. The exposition is located at the headquarters of the Commonwealth.

The exhibition consists of several display areas. One of them contains a selection of books published in different years, which reflect all stages of the CIS development and formation. The central place is given to the brochure "CIS Today". It was published for the 30th anniversary of the Commonwealth and contains a collection of materials and statistical infographics. A special place in the brochure is occupied by quotations from the speeches of the leaders of the CIS states with their assessments and opinions on the role and significance of the Commonwealth.

Besides, the exhibition presents a selection of stamps, envelopes, badges and medals, which were issued for the CIS anniversary dates. As well as original office equipment and communication facilities that were used in the early days of the CIS Executive Committee. The exhibition demonstrates a presentation video which tells about the most significant events and facts from the 30-year history of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

INTEGRATION "DOME" IS A TIMELY SOLUTION

As is well known, the heads of the CIS member states adopted in October a Statement on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Commonwealth – following the meeting of the Council in the format of a videoconference.

This document is relevant as it largely explains the essence of the formation at the time of a new interstate association, the principles of its existence, as well as outlines the perspective of its future.

Yes, exactly 30 years ago, during the period of serious geopolitical changes, the Agreement on the Creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the protocol to this Agreement and the AlmaAta Declaration were signed. The formation of the Commonwealth, as the document says, contributed to the formation of the legal and organizat iona l found at ions of mutually beneficial integration between the new independent states, the preservation and improvement of economic, humanitarian and cultural-historical ties based on common interests, mutual trust and respect. Experts note that today the CIS is a regional interstate

organization that ensures partnership in political, economic, humanitarian and other spheres on the basis of equality, as well as a unique dialogue platform that takes into account the interests of its member states. It is not for nothing that further realization of the potential of the Commonwealth and strengthening of its positions in the international arena is considered to be its common task. Considering trade and economic interaction as a key factor in further deepening of economic integration and sustainable development of the CIS member states, the authors of the document declare their desire to create favorable conditions for effective economic cooperation, full-fledged functioning

IZ.RU

recognized principles and norms of international law, international terrorism, extremism, cross-border organized crime, illegal production and trafficking of drugs, the use of information and c om mu n i c at i on te ch nol o g i e s for terrorist and other criminal purposes, other transnational threats, including the epidemiological ones. "Reaffirming the central coordinating role of the UN, we declare our readiness to cooperate in countering the entire spectrum of modern challenges and threats. We emphasize the need for cooperation in the struggle for strengthening of the comprehensive stability in the world as the basis for ensuring equal and indivisible security for all," – the leaders of the PRAVO.BY

of the free trade zone. In order to improve the well-being of citizens, they consider it necessary to focus efforts on stable economic growth through the development of green economy, digitalization, industrial cooperation, w i d e s p r e a d u s e o f i n n o v at i o n s , development of international transport corridors, integrated and rational use of available natural and economic resources, support for small and medium-sized businesses, improvement of the system of employment promotion, creation of favorable conditions for the CIS citizens who work in the CIS countries, as well as increase of cooperation between business circles, expansion of partnerships within the global economic system.

Humanit ar i an co op erat ion traditionally remains one of the most effective means of building trust and mutual understanding between the states of the Commonwealth. There is readiness to develop cooperation in this area, as well as the desire to bring humanitarian ties to a qualitatively new level based on common humanistic values in the name of peace, friendship, good neighborliness, interethnic and interfaith harmony, stability and conflict-free development of interstate relations.

The preservation of the memory of the common Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 was named as one of the fundamental tasks of cooperation between the Commonwealth countries in the humanitarian sector.

"We categorically reject the attempts to falsify history, revise the results of World War II, glorify Nazism, which run counter to the verdict of the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg. We emphasize that the facts of expulsion and extermination by the Nazis and their accomplices of the peaceful population of the USSR, stated in the verdict, should be regarded as genocide of the peoples of the Soviet Union," – the Statement says.

Much attention is paid to cooperation in ensuring the security, law and order of the CIS states, which contributes to countering modern threats. At the same time, there is an increase in factors that negatively affect international security, including attempts to ignore generally

Commonwealth countries noted. They reaffirmed their desire to jointly promote the interests of the CIS states, coordinate approaches in solving major world and regional problems based on adherence to the goals and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the 1970 Declaration on the principles of international law concerning friendly relations and cooperation between states in accordance with the UN Charter.

B esides, t he commit ment was expressed to the establishment of a just multipolar world order, recognition of the diversity of ways of development of states based on common human values.

"At the same time, we are concerned about the negative impact of a number of external factors that complicate the progressive development of our countries, including the growth of global instability, exacerbation of geopolitical and geoeconomic rivalry, the use of unilateral restrictive measures by individual states that run counter to the norms of international law, attempts to interfere in internal affairs of sovereign states, as well as a significant impact of the long-

term pandemic of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) on the international processes"– the Statement says.

Meanwhile, it so happened that it was Belarus that ended its chairmanship in the CIS on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the organization. Summing up the results of this responsible mission at the October summit, Alexander Lukashenko also drew attention to the key aspects of cooperation in the Commonwealth, i.e. the development of common economic space, the expansion and enhancement of the efficiency of mutual trade. The President of Belarus also emphasized that significant efforts were aimed at further development of cooperation in youth policy, culture, science, education, health care, sports, tourism, and social welfare. He noted that the updated Treaty on Combating Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing and Proliferation of Mass Destruction Weapons fully meets the present-day requirements. Alexander Lukashenko assured his colleagues: – Belarus has been and remains an active participant in regional integration associations. And today we confirm this once again.

He also noted: – There are different points of view on the termination of the existence of the Soviet Union, or rather, its forced collapse.

Everyone is well aware of my negative attitude to these events. But in that critical situation, the creation of such integration, one might say, "dome" that sheltered the former Soviet republics from the inevitable chaos and economic collapse, was most likely the right decision.

Of course, over three decades, the Commonwealth has passed a difficult path of formation and has become a regional organization recognized by the international community. It is not without reason that the President of Belarus once again pointed out such obvious advantages of the CIS as universality, voluntariness, equality – those fundamental principles that helped to restrain many destructive processes, helped to stabilize economies and preserve trade relations between the countries.

Alexander Pimenov

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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CONTEXT

WITHIN THE SPHERE OF STATE RESPONSIBILITY This conversation of the President of Belarus with the Director General of the International News Agency "Russia Today" Dmitry Kiselev stood out in a series of recent interviews of Alexander Lukashenko to representatives of mainly foreign mass media. The dialogue lasted two and a half hours and touched upon the most important topics of the Union, international and Belarusian agenda.

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

Another question, according to the President of Belarus, is the conditions under which the emission center will operate: "Let's do it like in the European Union. It should be independent. It shouldn't be Russian." Answering the question whether there are potentially any limits to the integration of Belarus and Russia, the President remarked: "No process has any limits. It sounds philosophical, but it is so. There are no limits."

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he head of state noted that Ukraine is conducting (at that BELTA

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he President called the introduction of a common currency with Russia a higher level of integration, which the parties have not approached yet. "We should come to a single currency step-by-step. When Yeltsin and I signed the agreement, we meant that it would not be a Belarusian or Russian ruble. But some other currency. But since we have rubles and you have rubles, why should we invent and call it a thaler or something else. Yes, it will be a ruble," – Alexander Lukashenko said in the interview.

time – Ed.) military exercises on the Belarusian border, 10 thousand servicemen are involved therein. They are practicing, among other things, options for waging war in a wooded and swampy area. Taking into account the situation, Belarus and Russia will also hold military exercises on the BelarusianUkrainian border. "Today we have a southern flank in Belarus – it should be closed. We are not the initiators, – noted Alexander Lukashenko. – Should we react? We should. And I suggested to the President (of Russia. – Ed.): let's carry them out." According to the head of state, the Belarusian-Russian military exercises will be held in two stages. The first will start in the next couple of months. "We are still making up plans, but we will definitely carry out the first stage in winter. Everything is ready for this, – said the President. – Therefore, they may stop worrying. We will conduct such exercises. And we will strengthen this flank."

Speaking about military activity in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Alexander Lukashenko added: "What should I do as the Commander-inChief? I should not respond to these provocations, but I have to foresee what may happen so as not to repeat the events of 1941 when Stalin told everyone: do not fall victim to provocations, signals came from the Kremlin, but the war had actually begun here. Therefore, I am forced to have plans and units of the Belarusian army that will react to any attempt to create a conflict here. On the border with Baltic States, Poland and Ukraine. Unfortunately, the Ukrainians, well, as usual, ran ahead of even the NATO troops. The same situation was with the skies closed for Belarusian aircraft flights earlier than the European Union and the Americans did it."

Belarus needs S-400 and S-500 complexes for effective protection against missile attacks. "You understand that S-400 and S-500 are expensive systems. And, let's be honest, there are no spare systems in Russia today. They have something to protect," – the Belarusian leader noted. "Today, with our air defense, we completely protect our borders, Minsk and so on. But in order to be effective against a missile attack, we need just S-400, and maybe S-500," – said Alexander Lukashenko. БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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CONTEXT

A

ccording to the President, now the number of the Belarusian Armed Forces is about 65 thousand people, and this is enough to organize the defense of the state: "We are not planning to build up the Armed Forces.

This is enough for us." At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko drew attention to the difficult situation on the border with Ukraine: "We now have 65 thousand, probably 70, due to the fact that we need to protect the south.

Therefore, we have an army of 65 thousand today. Most likely, we will have to create bases there for another five thousand. Not fully deployed, but partially."

closed storage facilities. I saved them all.

And the Americans, the Westerners kept on asking me: why? I haven’t answered these questions up to now". Alexander Lukashenko recalled Budapest Memorandum, signed in 1994, which provides for a voluntary renunciation of the right to possess nuclear weapons for Belarus in exchange for certain security guarantees. "I personally signed, although this is not my creation, I would have never done it, if not for our previous authorities before me, that was my first

T

he head of state was asked about the recent statement of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons in Eastern Europe. "Yes. Then I will offer Putin to return nuclear weapons to Belarus," – said Alexander Lukashenko. With regard to the weapons in question, the President said the following: "We will agree on which one.

The nuclear weapons that will be most effective in such contact. It’s not without reason that I said: we are ready for this on the territory of Belarus. I, as a prudent owner, did not destroy anything (the infrastructure for nuclear weapons which remained from the times of the USSR. – Ed.)." Speaking about the launch sites for Topol, Alexander Lukashenko stressed: "Why I became an enemy for the West: not because I am a dictator and so on. Because all the sites on which Topol (mobile ground-based strategic missile systems – Ed.) were stationed, except one, have been completely preserved and are still ready for use. You know how the West reacts to nuclear weapons and other things." According to the President of Belarus, the first President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, first of all demanded from him: "These sites should be blown up". "Because the West was pressing, the Americans were pressing him, he was pressing me," – the head of state explained. – I said "No". But when the pressure was extreme, you should know (I can prove and show it), we blew up one site. It was in the forest."

The President drew attention to the fact that these are not just some small sites, but large areas, including special shelters for weapons: "They all stood in these

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei LAVROV, speaking at the Federation Council, called the statement of Alexander Lukashenko on the deployment of nuclear weapons a warning to the West: This statement is a very serious warning, which is dictated primarily by the reckless policy pursued by the West. The goal is not just to escalate confrontation, but to try to provoke hot conflicts.

This is an outrageous position, and in this sense, of course, if they come up with such ideas – to deploy nuclear weapons in Poland, Romania, somewhere else quite close to the Russian Federation, then, probably, it is necessary to show the futility of this kind of undertakings by such rather sharp counterexamples.

year as President. If not for the authorities who created this international treaty. I signed it in fact, it had been initialed and so on, – said the head of state. – Moreover, after that I didn’t withdraw nuclear weapons from Belarus for several years.

Do you know why I withdrew them (in violation of the treaty, I had been keeping them in Belarus)? Believe it or not, not only at the request of the Americans. But above all, under the tough pressure of Yeltsin and his entire team."

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ccording to the head of state, now the Ukrainian army is "to put it mildly, very nationalistic, if not to say more,." "But why not? Some of its divisions, units and leaders go as far as fascism. I see it. Perhaps more than someone else, because it is close by," – said Alexander Lukashenko. According to the President, various initiatives, including from his side, to resolve the conflict in Ukraine were constantly torpedoed by the authorities of this country. "The question is: why? Because they did not run their country then, and don’t do it even more now. The country is under external control, the Head of State said. – But it was not my desire to get in this situation. By the will of the leader of Ukraine and the President of Russia, I was involved therein. As a person, not an outsider. What is happening now in Ukraine... I already knew then that it would be hot for us in Minsk."

The President of Belarus also answered the question on whose side he would be in case of aggression by Ukraine against Russia: "In this situation and with such policy I will never be on the side of Ukraine. I will be with those who want to save Ukraine and not turn it into a hotbed of aggression: a) against fraternal Russia, b) against even more fraternal Belarus. Therefore, I will never be on the side of the nationalist intoxication that is taking place in Ukraine today."

The President assured that he would do everything to make "Ukraine ours": "Ukraine is ours. There are our people there. These are not emotions. These are my strong convictions."

"Therefore, if Russia is faced with aggression from Ukraine, we will be closely linked legally, economically and politically with Russia. Legally is the main thing," – added Alexander Lukashenko.

even earlier, after the presidential elections.

Then it was supposed to be used to eliminate the President, for terrorist acts (for example, the attack on the Russian military communications center in Vileyka, which was put down) and attacks on journalists.

As the head of state said, the fact of arms traffic from Donbass across the Russian border to Belarus was also recorded: "For two years – just one case, the rest went across the Ukrainian border.

And it began before the refugees. We have already shown these caches on TV, we have detained people."

At present, Alexander Lukashenko said, they hoped that the refugees would use weapons in response to the actions of

The President called on the EU to open a humanitarian corri d or. "Wel l, w hat is about two thousand people (the approximate number of refugees in the camp on the border with Poland – Ed.)?

In my opinion, only this and last year, about 30 thousand of them came (to Europe – Ed.) by the Mediterranean Sea, through the Balkans. Well, what is one and a half – two thousand? Nothing!"

BELTA

The President of Belarus also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to the ex-President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to restore Donbass. "I said (what I later said to Zelensky): "Petro, the war is yours, the war is not mine, not Putin's – it is on your land. And everything should be done to stop this war. People suffer," – the head of state noted. According to him, Vladimir Putin offered Petro Poroshenko assistance in restoring Donbass: "Putin told me about it directly. I emphasize this. And you know, Poroshenko finally agreed. But within a month, he began to do just the opposite.

Why? Because the guy was under external control."

Touching upon the topic of Crimea, Alexander Lukashenko noted that de facto it is Russian: "After the referendum and de jure, the Crimea became Russian." The Belarusian leader stressed that he has the full right to visit Crimea, "no matter whose protectorate, leadership it is under and whom Crimea belongs." "This is my Crimea, too," – said the head of state. He noted that his first visit to the sea was in the Crimea, when he had only one eldest son. "Putin told me a lot about the current air force base in Sevastopol. Military space forces. A lot, – noted Alexander Lukashenko. – I say: when you invite me, we will fly. And then I suggested the second condition – to land in Sevastopol."

"If the President has arrived there with the President of Russia, listen, what other recognition can there be? This is not a secret for me or Putin. And what's more, it's just some kind of question that doesn't exist. There is no such question between me and Putin," – the head of state emphasized.

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he President of Belarus told why he wears a military uniform at some events: "This is a question of principle. The point is not even that I used to serve in the border troops and the army for many years. The point is that if the commanderin-chief comes to the military in military uniform, they see him as one of their own."

"Therefore, this is not showing off. I was criticized a lot for this, but now everyone is used to it," – the President added.

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muggled weapons were sent to refugees in Belarus from Ukraine.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, it was smuggled from Ukraine to Belarus

Refugees on the Belarusian-Polish border БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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CONTEXT

the Polish security forces and this would initiate a conflict on the border. " The KGB staff are great: they discovered an attempt to smuggle weapons when it was just being plotted, and we began to guard this camp, – said the head of state. – I must say that a clash would have taken place long ago on the border with Lithuania and Poland. Therefore, we have to protect this camp from the penetration of weapons that come from the combat zone, from Ukraine, across the Ukrainian border, into the territory of Belarus."

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hese people (refugees – Ed.) hire private people, there are 350-300 kilometers and they get to the border near Brest and Grodno. Private companies, taxis, buses are hired... Every day there are messages: Ukrainians, Germans, Poles, Latvians and only two Russians out of hundreds on the territory of Poland, who transported refugees for money. Transportation from the border to Germany costs 3-4 thousand dollars.

them in special camps. "They (the European Union – Ed.) were supposed to build the camps, they started doing it and then stopped. And I stopped taking them (migrants – Ed.) from there, – said the President. – They were the first (to stop fulfilling the contract – Ed.), and they do not want to discuss this topic now. When President Putin and I were talking about the origins of it, I told him that everything had started from there."

In this regard, Alexander Lukashenko recalled the sanctions imposed on Belarus: "They threw a noose around your neck, tighten it and say: protect us.

I honestly told them in the very beginning: guys, you wanted to aggravate relations. You accuse us of this plane and so on and so forth. Although there is not a single fact on the table. You started strangling Belarus."

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here are several hundred children and women among the refugees on the Belarusian-Polish border (at the time of the interview – Ed.).

noted the head of state.

Commenting on the Western accusations of the alleged use of migrants by the Belarusian authorities to achieve political goals, the President advised Western countries to "take back this tool". "They see that Lukashenko is holding a certain tool... Mainly the Poles, the Americans and so on. But it’s very simple to take this tool out of Lukashenko’s hands, and the whole issue will be resolved. Well, isn’t it logical?

Why don't they take this tool away from me? Open a humanitarian corridor," – the Belarusian leader emphasized.

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he harm to Belarus resulting from Western sanctions is negligible against the background of ensuring economic growth in the country. "I cannot give any figures of this harm. We are trying to minimize (the impact of sanctions – Ed.).

Naturally, we are losing something. But compared to how we have worked this year, this is minuscule. This is minuscule,

According to the head of state, the updated Constitution strengthens the role of the Government and Parliament, gives constitutional status and clarifies the powers of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly. "The President, as well as today, will form the Government, will be the head of state. Strong presidential power remains."

So, this is well-established trafficking, from Iraq – for example, the Kurds, Syrians, Iranians – and to the border with Germany. It is well-established," – the President of Belarus said.

He also recalled that the EU had terminated the readmission agreement with Belarus. "I stated clearly: well, you broke this agreement, you stopped cooperating with us and talking about border issues, God be with you. Your problems, but, I warn you, I will not protect the border the way I did last year.

All the organizers know it," – said Alexander Lukashenko.

The head of state explained that according to the agreement, Belarus was supposed to take migrants who entered the EU through its territory and place

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

"We checked every family, every man, child and woman. There are about two hundred children and the same number of women. The rest are men.

Take them to your place (to the EU countries – Ed.), there are good families, advanced, educated, in the overwhelming majority, these are normal people," – said Alexander Lukashenko.

The President called on the EU to open a humanitarian corridor. "Well, what is about two thousand people (the approximate number of refugees in the camp on the border with Poland – Ed.)?

In my opinion, only this and last year, about 30 thousand of them came (to Europe – Ed.) by the Mediterranean Sea, through the Balkans. Well, what is one and a half – two thousand? Nothing!" –

and I do not give instructions to calculate, because calculating it will be more expensive," – said Alexander Lukashenko. He drew attention to the fact that enterprises in Belarus were not closed during the pandemic. "The economy was not stopped, and we were lucky in that regard," – the head of state said, explaining that Belarusian producers got a chance to develop supplies of their products to foreign markets while other countries had a lockdown.

"Lockdown was declared and so on, but we had consumer goods (produced – Ed.)... And when there was a stop, a recession in Russia, Belarus was working, and we offered our goods to this market, so that you didn't even notice, for the

most part. That is, we had a huge market and a huge opportunity to sell our products. It continued this year as well.

That is, the export went well. Therefore, we have had a good year," – the President stressed.

"This helps us to minimize the losses from sanctions," – stated Alexander Lukashenko.

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he draft of the updated Constitution of Belarus will be published before the New Year, and a referendum on it is planned to be held after February 20, if there is no emergency, the President noted: "Now it (the draft) is on my table. Now I’m sitting and reading every line, as it used to be before. The Constitution – I wrote it myself (it relates to the current Constitution – Ed.). Lawyers wrote with a pen, and I dictated, because as the President I understood what powers I

need to keep the country. And now I read it, because I have to submit it to a referendum."

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ccording to the head of state, the updated Constitution strengthens the role of the Government and Parliament, gives constitutional status and clarifies the powers of the AllBelarusian People's Assembly. "The President, as well as today, will form the Government, will be the head of state.

Strong presidential power remains," – he said. Alexander Lukashenko explained that after the adoption of the amendments to the Constitution of Belarus, new elections will take place for all bodies of power: "The Parliament, the presidential elections, and the delegates to the All-Belarusian Assembly. We are about three – four years away from the presidential elections. They can, at most, take place on time. But, possibly, there will be early elections".

"On the basis of the President decision. Or other terms of elections will be fixed in the transitional provisions in the Constitution," – the head of state added. At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko found it difficult to answer the question whether he will participate in the next elections. "I do not know. I honestly don't know," – he said.

According to him, this will depend primarily on the situation in the country.

When asked whom he would like to be remembered in history, the President said that he had not thought about it.

"Honestly, I swear to you! I don’t think about it, because I’m not going to leave the big politics that is developing today before our eyes. Unfortunately, these are hard times," – stated Alexander Lukashenko. According to him, he wants to be "the creator of this state."

Vladimir Velikhov

BELTA

P.S.

According to Dmitry Kiselev, this interview had an important subtext: it made it possible to deeper understand not only the logic of Alexander Lukashenko’s actions, but also of Belarusian people when they support the President.

The Russian journalist admitted that he was struck by Lukashenko’s readiness to defend national interests.

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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TOPICAL

A series of interviews of the Head of State for foreign media continued. And although in the previous conversations of the President with journalists, many topics of the day were revealed quite deeply, interest in such meetings does not subside.

ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO:

"...WE TURNED OUT TO BE THE MAIN LINK IN THE USA AND NATO PRESSURE ON RUSSIA" In the recent interview of the President of Belarus to the correspondent of the Turkish television and radio company TRT Nisa Efendioglu, one of the key issues related to external pressure on the country The Turkish television and radio company TRT, or the Turkish Radio and Television Foundation, was established in 1964 to broadcast on behalf of the Turkish state and until the 1990s remained the only one in Turkey. Today it has an extensive network of TV and radio channels on various topics, which broadcast to the countries of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia. TRT structure consists of 14 television channels, including 6 national, as well as 3 international, 16 radio channels of national and regional coverage and 2 foreign. News is also published in 41 languages on the TV and radio company's website.

Alexander Lukashenko said in a dialogue that he would not list all the reasons for the current situation, but outlined the main thing: – The main reason lies in the fact that we turned out to be the main link in the USA and NATO pressure on Russia. You know what happened in our country last

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year: they tried to do in Belarus the same thing they did in Ukraine (that’s what they demand from us today). When we ask them the question: "What do you want?" – I quote: "We want Belarus to be like Ukraine". To which I replied: we do not want to be Ukraine. Our people do not want this and never will.

The President recalled that last year they tried to turn the country "through the so-called "color revolution" and the rebellion into Ukraine": – They failed. Why do they need to turn Belarus into Ukraine? In order to completely create the Baltic-Black Sea region, which they have long been dreaming of. To create this block with a border in the east near Smolensk for further pressure and – let me be frank – advance into Russia.

Addressing the journalist, the President of Belarus noted that Turkey also lived through the same period at one time: "It was also during Erdogan's time.

There was an attempted rebellion in Turkey. With us it was somewhat different, but a mutiny there, in Turkey, and a mutiny here, one cannot name it otherwise.

They failed to break the country by force, with a swoop."

Therefore, the head of state continued, the opponents switched to a systematic pressure and hybrid war. And its essence is as follows: "There is pressure and attacks on Belarus in different directions with different intensity. This is expressed in pressure through the media, through the diplomatic and political lines. Now they have moved on to severe pressure on the economic front. Americans and Europeans introduced five packages of sanctions against Belarus."

– Did I understand you correctly: you think that the countries that should be responsible for the crisis on the border are America and its allies? – clarified Nisa Efendioglu.

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TOPICAL

– Absolutely. You know that better than I do. Because you are close to those destroyed countries, the ones that they destroyed, – summed up the head of state.

The journalist asked the President's opinion on the project of the Polish authorities to build a wall on the border with Belarus to restrain the flow of refugees. Alexander Lukashenko suggested: "Apparently, someone in Poland among the initiators of this wall has run out of money. Therefore, they want to refill their wallets through this project. If we talk about the wall, it will not cost either 400 or 500 million dollars, as they are planning. It will cost about a billion dollars."

At the same time, the President drew attention to an indicative moment: "They have built such a wall on separate sections of our border with Poland. And as the Polish special services admit, most of the refugees entered the areas where this wall had been built. There are about 25 thousand people in total. Therefore, does it make sense in this case to build such a wall? You know, there was an example:

the Americans tried to build a wall on the border with Mexico. One president built, another is now destroying it. I think the same can happen in Poland."

The head of state stressed that the Belarusian side "does not worry" about this matter at all: "This is their problem.

Let them build. It won't be worse for us.

But the situation in Poland is very unstable, and it's not even clear whether this government will remain. I am sure that smarter, more efficient people will come and find where to spend this billion dollars."

Alexander Lukashenko drew some parallels with relatively recent events in modern history: "You know, in Germany, the wall between the GDR and West Germany was destroyed. And it was a victory for European democracy. Everyone shouted: no dividing lines and walls at the border! So do they want now to fence the European Union with a 5-and-a halfmeter wall? Somehow it doesn't fit with ideology and democracy. A stupid, stupid idea."

The refugee crisis held a special place in the conversation. For Turkey, as the country – leader of the region from which people are fleeing, this problem is extremely important. The head of state gave exhaustive answers to accusations and common fakes that sometimes sound against Belarus. In the context of refugee issues, the role and influence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Muslim world was also discussed. The issues related to the Belarusian-Turkish relations in general were also raised.

The head of state spoke about whether negotiations with the EU on resolving the crisis are progressing and what will happen to those refugees who want to stay in Belarus. Sanctions and further possible retaliatory measures are another topic.

They also talked about building alliance with Russia. Alexander Lukashenko spoke about the plans, terms and prospects of this integration project, shared his opinion whether it will be similar to the EU. Vladimir Velikhov

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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CHARITY

MARATHON

OF GOOD DEEDS BELTA

Festive events of the republican charitable project "Our children" are held throughout the country.

This year about 200 thousand little Belarusians are supposed to participate in the festive New Year and Christmas events with permanent gifts and surprises. In total, about a million children will be covered by the events of the project.

The ceremonial opening of the event took place at the National Centre for Art Creativity of Children and Youth – the start of the charity campaign was given by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government Igor Petrishenko. Let us remind you that anyone could make contribution to the collection of good deeds by transferring any amount of money to the charitable account of the Belarusian Children's Fund, which is a specific feature of this year's event. The funds will be used to help the children in need of state support.

It is no exaggeration to say that this year the holiday of renewal came first of all to the overhauled building of the National Centre for Art Creativity of Children and Youth on Fabritsius Street in the capital. A large number of yellow buses marked "Children" were located on the adjacent street – little participants in the celebration came to Minsk from all regions. The festive bustle in the halls decorated with Christmas trees, New Year's songs and

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

life-size puppets immediately create a special atmosphere that reminds even adults that a special, magical time will soon come when we all become little children, make the most cherished wishes and believe in a miracle.

Igor Petrishenko together with the chairperson of the board of the Belarusian Children's Fund Lyudmila Kondrashova and young assistants pressed the symbolic button that launched the republican campaign "Our Children" at exactly 12 o'clock.

The celebration was attended by the chairman of the Central Election Commission Igor Karpenko, representatives of regional and Minsk city executive committees, republican children's public associations, teachers and, of course, children from different parts of Belarus. At this time the same events began in all regional centers.

– I am glad to welcome all participants in the renovated building. However, Santa Claus and Snow Maiden have not yet created magic – the smell of fresh paint is still in the air – Igor Petrishenko joked. – Nevertheless, I believe they will do their best for you, guys, to have the most positive emotions from the start of our good campaign "Our Children", which has been held

CHARITY BELTA

at the initiative of the President of our country for over 25 years.

This project brings a miracle for every child. Thank you for your studies, good attitude towards your peers, your creativity, doing sports. And let luck, good health and realization of all your plans accompany you in life. Everything that is done in our country is done for you – both sports and cultural facilities, as well as a high level of education. Therefore, create, improve, and your parents, teachers and educators will always be a reliable support on your life path. Happy holiday and good luck to the project "Our children"!

In his interview with reporters, the Deputy Prime Minister of the country noted: it is very important that every year more and more organizations and institutions join the charity event.

– This is necessary in order to fulfill the cherished dreams of children, so that their wishes come true, so that they start thinking about who they consider themselves to be. We create all the necessary conditions for children to receive a good education. Our task is to make children convey to their peers the warmth and kindness that adults give to them, so that in difficult times they can support their peers with a kind word, a kind deed. For us it is very important. Within a month, it is necessary to hold thematic events throughout the country in an organized manner, so that every child, wherever he/she lives – in a large city, capital, regional center or small village – receives a New Year's gift and his/her wish comes true.

According to Igor Petrishenko, a festive New Year's ball "Fairy tale" for children is being prepared at the Palace of the Republic with the participation of the head of state. 2.5 thousand children from all over the country will gather for this celebration.

And the solemn event in the Palace of Independence will bring together scholarship holders of the President's Fund, winners of republican and international Olympiads, public activists, and winners of sports competitions. The same balls with the participation of governors will be held in regional centers for children who have achieved success in their studies, creativity, sports and social work.

Traditionally, heads of ministries, departments, public organizations, enterprises, banks and other organizations take part in the project "Our Children"; they will visit orphan boarding schools and family-type homes, guardianship and foster families, families raising disabled children, centers for correctional developmental education and rehabilitation, hospitals. Representatives of the country's institutions wish the children a Happy New Year, Merry Christmas and give gifts, help in solving problems.

Not a single small child will be left without attention. The children of refugees on the Belarusian-Polish border will also be provided with assistance.

– We hope that by the New Year the number of children in this center will decrease, as we hope that soon the problem will be solved. If, by reason of circumstances, children and adults remain there, then the kids will not be deprived of either attention or gifts. They will take part in the project "Our Children". In our country, all children are equal, they are all waiting for a miracle and no one will be left without gifts, – Igor Petrishenko emphasized.

Elena Kravets

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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INDUSTRY OF MEETINGS

NEW SERVICES

FOR BUSINESS GUESTS

BELARUS IS READY TO DEVELOP MICE TOURISM

The pandemic has had a significant impact on tourism, contributing to the emergence of new hybrid forms of communication. Yes, Internet communication can go hand in hand with live meetings. But the more connections are made online, the greater the need for live communication. And business tourism is no exception. Recently, the term MIСE tourism has become widely used (this is an abbreviation of the English words Meetings – corporate meetings, Incentives – team building and motivational tours for employees, Conferences – congresses, seminars, conferences, Exhibitions – exhibitions, informal meetings.)

Representative of Japan at the conference "Achievements and prospects of oncological care" which was held in Minsk and brought together many experts from around the world

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

We have venues According to Irina Voronovich, Director of the Tourism Department of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus, MICE tourism is one of the most important directions in the world today. Since the end of 2019, an interdepartmental coordination group has been created under the Council of Ministers, which considers the development of various tourism destinations, including business ones.

Today the country has a number of venues ready to organize and service business meetings. In the capital, as well as in the regional centers, there are world-class hotels with big halls where large-scale meetings can be held and, if necessary, conference participants can hold panel meetings in separate smaller rooms. Challenges of the pandemic are taken into account. The equipment has been purchased that allows one to broadcast live meetings and record them, connect individual participants to events in an online format.

Meanwhile, in the capital there are multidisciplinary cultural and sports complexes "Chizhovka-Arena" and "Minsk-Arena", which are ready to host not only large-scale sports events, but also cultural, scientific, educational exhibitions, conferences, forums, corporate events. Their bases can be adjusted to any needs, the employees can provide comprehensive service of their guests. By the way, these are some of the most upto-date sites in Europe at the moment.

Established image Alexey Strelchenko, Deputy Director for for Tourism of the Republican Unitar y Enterprise "Tsentrkurort", noted that the history of business tourism should be divided into two periods.

The first, pre-pandemic, is the basis for the promotion of Belarus. Every year the number of international events held in our country is growing.

We can mention the World Congress of Slavists or the Ice Hockey World Championships. This sports event be-

came a revolutionary milestone in the development of tourism as a full-fledged branch of the Belarusian economy. The appropriate infrastructure and service area have been created to receive a large number of guests. Then thousands of foreigners discovered our country. A new tourist destination has appeared in the world. Every year there is an increase in business activity in various fields. The International Congress of Ecology, the International Congress on Oncology, the meeting of the International Electrotechnical Commission, the World Space Congress, the 2nd European Games...

These and many other international events had an impact on the image of Belarus.

A lot of efforts have been made to attract guests from China to our country.

In recent years, China has become number one in terms of importing its tourism potential, and the number of tourists kept on increasing annually before the pandemic. So, in 2019, more than 120 million tourists from China traveled around the world, with a significant share taken by business tourists. In China, there is government regulation and encouragement for large companies to hold business events overseas. It is considered to be the promotion of Chinese scientific and technical thought and achievements.

In 2019, Belarus managed to organize the largest business meeting in the history of tourism in our country. One of the largest Chinese companies chose our country as a venue for its corporate event, which lasted for two weeks. Two and a half thousand tourists were served.

Such a number of guests were received in Belarus for the first time, 58 buses of different companies, 12 restaurants were used.

There are plans As Alexey Strelchenko admitted, the plans of our travel companies before the pandemic in 2020 were exciting. But everything was interrupted by the ­c oronavirus. And yet, in his opinion, it is business tourism, that one

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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The National Library building always attracts guests of the Belarusian capital by its architectural appearance

should rely on. Its capabilities are higher than those of other segments of the tourism economy. Thus, recent seasons have shown that because of closed borders, domestic tourism began to develop. People seek and find alternatives to the traditional recreational route. And there is no alternative to business trips yet. For the development of the economy, it is necessary to exchange views, scientific and technical achievements, and developments.

It is not yet possible to do it fully online. For MICE operators, the arrival of guests is an opportunity to earn money and give it to other companies that are ready to provide transportation, food, entertainment.

One of the necessary steps for the development of business tourism is the

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

establishment of t he Nationa l Congress Bureau. Such an entity is planned to appear in the information field next year. It should become a "onestop shop" for customers from around the world who need information about the country's tourism potential, a platform for business tourism. Even in unfavorable epidemiological conditions, work on tourism products continues. Our prices for accommodation are more attractive than in traditional countries for MICE tourism, visa-free travel to Minsk and regional centers, the construction of modern hotels and complexes in the regions should contribute to the development of the industry if the epidemic subsides. It is important to keep in mind that more and more young people are involved in the business, who are ready to establish contacts around the world. But because of their employment and short vacations, they can begin their exploration of other countries with business trips. It is

necessary to calculate what services can be additionally offered to business guests and how to provide them with information about opportunities for longer vacations in Belarus in the future.

It is also necessary to develop publicprivate partnership, when the state can transfer part of its functions in a particular area to public institutions and thus reduce costs and create conditions for creative business development. This is the way the congress bureau in Russia is developing. There it is a public organization-association that unites representatives of different business activities. Individual business structures are responsible for regional marketing, business management, services. And together they create good-quality and diverse offers for tourists. Belarus already has the experience of cluster associations offering a range of services in small areas, and this experience should be expanded.

Elena Dedyulya

IN COMMON LANGUAGE

ABOUT BELARUS –

ON INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK BELARUSIAN-CHINESE MEDIA CENTER OPENED IN BSU Media center activities will be aimed at promotion of BSU among Chinese applicants and development of practical skills among students journalists. As there is training of personnel for various types of media, the center is structurally divided into several departments: network TV, a department for work in social networks.

It will host seminars, workshops on video editing, photo processing, and making up journalistic and PR texts. The center has modern equipment, computers for video editing and typesetting of publications, an i nt e r a c t i v e panel, a projector

and other equipment. In the same place, educational projects with the participation of leading scientists and practitioners of the two countries will be implemented.

It is envisaged that the center will become a practical platform for the creation of student media products. For example, Chinese students are already filming videos and making up texts about their study at BSU, life in Belarus for WeChat, Instagram and TikTok. They interview teachers, their friends, take pictures of the landmarks of Belarus.

Joint work of Belarusian and Chinese students in the field of journalism will be one of the goals of the center. They are going to prepare copyright

materials for the faculty newspaper "ZhurFakty", help with their translations into Belarusian, Russian and Chinese. For a month and a half of the pilot version of the center, more than 80 materials have been published on social networks, and the number of followers on public pages approached 1,500.

T h e op e n i ng of t h e C h i n e s e B el ar us i an me d i a c e nte r b e c ame possible thanks to the educational center "Yaotian" (PRC) and its founder Wang Yaotian, who has been cooperating with BSU since 2012. With his participation, an information and educational center of BSU in China (Beijing), a center for preuniversity education of BSU (Sanya), an information center for foreign students at FIR (Faculty of International Relations) were opened, an agreement was signed on the allocation of grants to Chinese students for high academic performance and scientific activities.

Today, 2,177 Chinese citizens study at BSU, more than 1,300 of them are undergraduates.

Nadezhda NIKOLAEVA

Photo credit: BSU Press Service

BSU.BY

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

23

INNOVATIONS

THE FUTURE IS

WITH GREEN ECONOMY Every day there is more and more electric transport on our roads, solar panels are not a novelty even in private houses, sharing has long become popular. Can we say today that green economy is no longer a fashion trend, but a practical implementation of best practices? Baliaslau Pirshtuk, First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, spoke about this.

– Due to global climate change, the whole world is concerned about the increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

How does Belarus look against the ­general background?

– Most of the countries of the world, almost all EU countries are taking on new commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. For example, in Sweden, the priority areas are waste management, including packaging, the development of renewable energy sources, bringing their share in energy production up to 100% by 2040.

In Finland, the issues of transition to bioeconomy, development of green finance are being researched. In Germany, sustainable production and consumption, resource efficiency and sustainable tourism are identified as the key areas for green growth achievement. The strategic goal of China, Kazakhstan is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

Our country is responsible for 0.19% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In Belarus, it is planned to reduce them by 35% by 2030 compared to the 1990 level.

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

– A modern legislative framework for the development of a green economy has been created in our country. What can we say about practical implementation of the norms laid down therein?

– The program of creation of a state charging network for electric vehicles charging is being successfully implemented. In 2018, we had 85 such stations, and 600 are expected by the end of this year. Not surprisingly, there has been a sharp jump in the number of electric vehicles. It increased by more than 40 times compared to 2017 and reached 4 thousand units.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, together with the RUE "Production Association "Belorusneft" and the UN Development Program, have developed a project of international technical assistance from the Global Environment Facility "reducing barriers for the development of electromobility in the Republic of Belarus by creation of a network of superfast charging stations", which is now at the stage of approval. The estimated implementation period of the project is 2022-2026. It will help increase the availability of electric vehicles for the population.

The sharing economy is developing, that is, the sharing of cars and electric vehicles, bicycles, scooters and other mobile means.

– It is often said that the presence of the Belarusian NPP is not an obstacle for the development of renewable ­energy...

cluding Belarus. According to the Ministry of Economy, the losses of our exporters will amount to approximately 96 million euros per year (if the price is over €50 per tonne of CO2). Energy-intensive industries such as the production of iron, steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizers and electricity will be hit hard.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, together with the departments concerned, has developed an action plan to minimize the risks for the Belarusian economy associated with the EU's planned implementation of cross-border carbon regulation.

Systematic work on preparation of a Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy of the Republic of Belarus until 2050 is underway. It revises the relevant measures in the areas of heat and power generation, energy efficiency in the industrial, transport, construction and housing and communal sectors. In any case, it is necessary to work towards reduction of the carbon intensity of the economy.

– Green economy development is closely related to minimization of the climate change effects and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In this regard, can we talk about biodiversity conservation?

– Belarus has one of the highest forest cover in Europe – about 40%. As you know, the forest absorbs greenhouse gases. In the near future, it is planned to increase the area of the forest fund. The area of undrained bogs is about 7%, or 863 thousand hectares from the entire territory of Belarus. Systematic work is being carried out to re-waterlogging, restoring peatlands, which contributes to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

Over the previous fiveyear period, projects have been implemented in the field of restoration of drained peatlands on an area of 64 thousand

hectares, effective measures have been taken to preserve landscape and biological diversity.

– Green economy is not only about the environment, isn't it?

– Exactly. The green economy is a strategy for solving many problems, both environmental, economic and social.

First of all, it is environmental safety, sustainable use of natural resources. The green economy contributes to the employment of the population and the competitiveness of our products on the world markets. Thanks to it, a step-by-step systematic approach is provided for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by our country. As a result, this will improve the quality of life of people, preserve and increase the natural resources of Belarus.

Margarita Drozdova

DNEPROVEC.BY

– This is actually the case. Our country has sufficient potential in the field of renewable energy. The most traditional type of renewable energy sources in Belarus is wood fuel, the prospective use of wind and solar energy. For three years, the share of electricity generation through the use of RES has more than doubled.

Within the development of green construction, the main emphasis is placed on the use of energy-saving solutions, smart home technologies, including the construction of electric houses.

– What are the priority directions for the development of green economy in our country?

– The Ministry of Natural Resources, together with 48 involved government agencies and organizations, has developed a draft National Action Plan for the development of a green economy in our country until 2025. What is being offered? First of all, introduction of the principles of sustainable consumption and production; formation of smart and energy efficient cities. It is necessary to develop a circular economy, organic agriculture and ecotourism, electric transport and urban mobility. I will dwell in more detail on the topic of green financing, that is, investments, concessional lending, subsidies aimed at the implementation of environmentally friendly, energy efficient and low-carbon projects. Mitigation of the climate change effects and adaptation to climate change, as well as conservation and sustainable use of biological and landscape diversity, remain of paramount importance. All this work is based on scientific support for the transition to the green economy. I see the need to promote this topic among the population, because, undoubtedly, the future is with green economy.

– Baliaslau Kazimiravich, is our country ready for the cross-border carbon tax introduced by the European Union?

– The introduction of this tax by the European Union will affect the economic interests of all exporting countries, in-

Baliaslau Pirshtuk, First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

25

PERSONS

About the master of the poetic word, TV journalist and publicist David Simanovich, whose life was an example of serving culture, professional approach to the restoration of historical memory

NOT TO BREAK UP In the second-hand book department of Minsk House of Political Books (now – Book Centre "Knowledge"), my hand by itself reached out for the book

by David Simanovich, which had been around and, possibly, had had different owners, i.e. "Vitebsk Railway Station" (Minsk, "Asobny", 2006; one thousandth circulation). "Vitebsk Railway Station, or Evening Walks through the Years".

I don’t even remember this publishing house. And this is the first time I've come across the book in the second-hand ­department…

The diary begins in 1946. On June 1, a teenager from Narovlya (Narovlya is a district center in Gomel region; Chernobyl area) wrote: "I want to become a poet in a fighting country. I want to write poems in peaceful silence about work, about the Motherland, about its sons,

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

about taken roads, about happy days."

And here is the entry dated August 16, 1947: "Outside the window, a cheerful wind is moving the foliage. I’ve sent my poems today to Marshak to Moscow.

I will wait impatiently for his answer. I wonder what the poet will write about the verses." The entry dated September 24, 1947: "More than a year has passed since I wrote that "I want to become a poet". I fill in a notebook with my verses.

And last year I even "put out" two of my "books". I copied what I had on sheets of paper. Painted them. Made the covers. I called one of them "Misha the Hero". It contains a small poem about the feat of a young partisan. And on the cover of the second one there is the title "Motherland". Today I sent three poems to the regional newspaper "Polessie Bolshevik": "Victory Park", "Evening" and "Mill".

VLIB.BY GORODVITEBSK.BY

VKURIER.BY

In different years of life

THE LINK OF TIMES... ...David Simanovich was born in Narovlya on June 26, 1932. During the Great Patriotic War he lived with his family in evacuation in Uzbekistan. He returned to his hometown, left high school with a gold medal. In 1955 he graduated from the Faculty of Philology of the Belarusian State University. He taught in the village of Krynki, Liozno district, Vitebsk region. He wrote poetry, was engaged in literary study of local lore. In 1960, the young teacher was invited to work in Vitebsk. At first in the regional newspaper "Vitebsk Worker", and then, more than thirty years, in the regional television. His first books were published in 1959 – "A Spring Tale" and "Magic Meadow".

From the diary – the entry dated January 3, 1961: "The first days at the television studio. None of us knows what "tele" is. We will watch Moscow programs in the eve-

nings and learn." Well, 1961 for the central, Moscow, television is also just the beginning... On February 23, 1960 "Health" and on March 18 "TV-travel Club" programs came. On April 14, 1961 for the first time a report was broadcast live: it was a solemn welcoming meeting of Yuri Gagarin in Moscow. And on November 8, 1961 a TV game "KVN" ("Club of the Funny and Inventive") appeared... We read David Simanovich's entry dated April 19, 1961: "Our TV studio is celebrating its anniversary. On the screen there are Vitebsk citizens. Among them there are actors, painters, writers. The first literary programs. I will call them "Literary Vitebsk Region": poetry and prose, information, photos, films... And it would also be nice to make TV films and television plays based on the works of those who are connected with our region and talk about them,

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

27

our fellow countrymen, who have left a good mark in literature and art. And of course – to pave the way for the young, promote them on the blue screen."

Reading the diary today, many decades later, one sees these entries as drawing up a program, defining prospects for a small and not very high-profile cultural case... But it is the provincial poet and journalist David Simanovich who step by step begins and promotes the work on restoration of the historical memory.

Even in Minsk he was considered "provincial". But the scale of his personality, the degree of his attitude to culture are very metropolitan...

He does not even use high-f lown words, but just stops by Zdravnevo, close to Vitebsk, together with a TV camera man... And "…in Zdravnevo, in Repin places. There is a pioneer camp for tramdrivers’ children. Every summer – hustle and bustle. And what about the memory of the great artist?.. After all, he used to live and work here for eight years.

Repin nature, poetry – it turned out to be a good film plot. We will include it in the program "Repin in Vitebsk region".

And there is an entry dated October 2, 1964: "...I read about Repin, about his love for Elizaveta Zvantseva, his student... Yesterday I began to write a television script-sketch "Autumn Bouquet": Zdravnevo, the end of the century, paintings "Autumn Bouquet" and "A Belarusian", Vera, Sidor Shavrov (the prototype of "A Belarusian", and his son and daughter live in Vitebsk), I want to introduce Belarusian songs, Russian romances, poems by Pushkin and Tyutchev and my thoughts about secret love for Zvantseva (according to the letters)..."

David Simanovich bit by bit begins to collect information about Ilya ­Repin’s, Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin’s, eminent compatriots’ contacts with Vitebsk, Vitebsk region. He discovered Chagall theme, which was delicate for those times when the very mention of the name of the artist was banned. But this ban came mainly from the ideological zeal of local authorities... It goes without saying that Vitebsk, the regional center, (with its own regional committee of the CPSU (the Communist Party of the Soviet Union) lived with the whole country... And "the wrong behavior of young writers Yev tushenko, Voznesensky, Aksenov" was stigmatized and condemned as "their attempts to direct the

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

development of our art and literature along the formalistic path are doomed to failure"... But David Simanovich, as a television journalist, publicist, was looking for "breakthrough" topics in the past... He came up with, in modern terms, projects. "Open Poetry Lessons in Schools", "Days of Literature Dedicated to Vladimir Korotkevich", "Pushkin Poetry Festival in Vitebsk", "Chagall Days", "Chagall Readings", "Visiting Marc and Bella", "Vitebsk Day of Vladimir Mayakovsky with lyrical digressions into the past and the future"... The list is by no means complete.

Mikhail Svetlov, Sergey Sartakov, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Andrey Voznesensky visited Vitebsk, Vitebsk region... And David Simanovich is always beside, always with them. Both as a television journalist, and a guide who can show and tell about the main things. And as a worthy, most truthful and objective chronicler of cross-cultural issues of literature, personal and regional contacts...

After all, if it were not for attentive,

VLIB.BY

PERSONS

VLIB.BY ZVIAZDA.BY

Items from David Simanovich's work-room

With Yevgeny Yevtushenko

sensitive and observant Simanovich, would different stories that characterize poets and times be preserved in memory?!. All the more such as the Week of Russian Literature in Belarus, its days in Vitebsk region. 1961… "…the routes of the festival have led to Polotsk. After Svetlov’s speech, a pilot came up to him and asked to autograph his book. But he wanted to have the word "Polotsk" in the inscription. Mikhail Arkadyevich at first tried to wave it away with a joke." We know from Simanovich, from his diary, that Svetlov wrote about Polotsk, about Glubokoye – this is a town in Vitebsk region... "I promised and I will write – I will not break my promise – I will only water Polotsk soul with cognac..." "I have never been to Glubokoe, I haven’t walked this

path. For the first time I breathed in this Belarusian sky... I will feel easy on a distant journey, on any high mountain and deep in Glubokoe..."

The diary of David Simanovich, who died not so long ago – in May 2014... (a symbolic day that forever connected him to the Vitebsk land – May 9, 2014...) is already pages of the history of literary, artistic, poetic ties of Belarus and Russia.

And it would also be necessary to look into "Alexander Pushkin’s travelling papers", which Vitebsk chronicler David Simanovich published in 1977... Without this 160-page publication, the topic "Alexander Pushkin in Belarus" cannot be covered in any way...

Kirill Ladutko

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LAUREATES BELTA

GRAND PRIX TO UZBEK FILM The 27th Minsk International Film Festival "Listapad" has ended. The jury board awarded many films that participated in the competition program. There is more information about the winners.

–D

uring the festival, experts did a thorough job: they didn’t only exchange views, approaches, but also developed areas for further cooperation. It is pleasant to note that the discussions have been realized in the documents that will allow us to actively develop cinematographic art, – said Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko during the closing ceremony.

Igor Petrishenko awarded a special prize of the President "For humanism and spirituality in cinema" to the director of the Uzbek film "Ilkhak".

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– It was not an easy job for the jury, because it was necessary to evaluate the works unbiasedly and thoroughly and to be unanimous in their assessments. I wish all of us to go on loving and respecting cinema. Let's support our filmmakers, artists, all those who make our life more solid and dynamic, – added the Deputy Prime Minister.

Several special prizes were awarded during the ceremony. The film "Pilot" directed by Renat Davletyarov received a prize from Minsk City Executive Committee for the embodiment of

spirituality in art. The film "Qazaq.

The Story of One Man", created with the participation of representatives of the United States and Kazakhstan, was awarded the Special Prize of the Commonwealth of Independent States "Cinema without Borders" for the development of cultural cooperation and strengthening of friendship between peoples. The work of the Georgian director "Bicycle to the Moon" was awarded a special prize "The language of cinema is the language of friendship".

BELTA

Cinema of the Young

director, public figure Nikolai Burlyaev.

A special jury prize was awarded to the Bulgarian film "Quiet Heritage".

The Grand Prix in this panel was awarded to the Russian film "The Distant Plan" directed by Vladimir Golovnev.

These are three episodes from the Russian rural life about the emergence of 3D cinemas and the fate of ordinary people.

This year 23 works took part in the "Cinema of the Young" competition.

The Australian film "Painting by numbers" directed by Dzhegatheva Radheya was recognized as the best animated film. A prize for sincerity in highlighting the problems of human dignity was awarded to the work of the French director Camir Ainuz "Honey Cigar". Manzarali Sherali from Tajikistan received a prize for the best directing for the film "Burden". A special jury prize was awarded to the French film "Lulu", directed by Hubert Ville.

For the best embodiment of the festival’s theme "Cinema is a symphony of unity" the award was given to the Indian-Afghan film "From door to door".

The prize for accurate cinematic irony went to Gleb Rossa, Russian director of the film "White Heterosexual Man". The Cuban film "Blue Heart" was awarded the prize for the audacity of the idea. The best

Fiction films

SPUTNIK.BY

debut was the Russian film "Mayakovsky".

And the prize for the best film in the competition named after director Viktor Turov went to the Iranian film "Son" directed by Nushin Meraji: this is a story of a man who, after the death of his mother, is trying to rebuild his relationship with the world.

Documentaries

The film festival presented 17 films of the documentary panel Several prizes at once were awarded to the film "Arrow" by the Belarusian director Galina Adamovich about three women from a village ensemble who restore an ancient rite. The film was awarded the People's Choice Award for the best documentary film, as well as the prize for reflecting the historical, cultural and civilizational codes of national identity.

The prize for the best embodiment of the image of an outstanding figure of culture and art, who devoted himself to serving the Motherland, was received by Russian director Anton Nikolaev for the film "I will not be different anymore."

The film is about the famous actor, film

13 films were presented in the fiction films panel.

Several prizes were awarded to the German-Austrian film "The Royal Game" directed by Philip Stelzl, based on the novel by Stefano Zweig. The film won the following awards: Audience Award for the Best Fiction Film, the Best Cinematography, and the Best Actor.

Among the leaders in terms of awards, another film stood out, it is made by the Kazakh director Aizhan Kasymbek. The film "Fire" received the prize for the best musical solution and the prize for the best direction. The fate of the hero of the film, an ordinary delivery man, who is trying to build the well-being of his large family in a big city, shocked the audience.

The prize for the best script and the prize of the film press jury were awarded to the Iranian film "Hero" directed by Asgar Farhadi. By the way, this year the film also received the Grand Prix of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival.

Special Jury Award for Actress went to the French film "My Night". Another prize for the Best Actress was given to the film "Following her Shadow".

The Grand Pr ix "The G old of Listapad" for the best film was awarded to the Uzbek film "Ilkhak" directed by Jakhongir Akhmedov. The film was produced in 2020 and is dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory in World War II. The fiction film is based on real events. It shows the pain and suffering of the inconsolable mother Zulfiya Zakirova, who, having raised alone five sons, lost them in the war. "Ilkhak", a project of the Uzbekkino film studio, was filmed with the support of the National Film Studio "Belarusfilm".

Arina KARPOVICH

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FORUM EVENT –

"SAMSON AND DELILAH" The 11th Minsk International Christmas Opera Forum, the largest traditional project of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus, opened with the famous opera "Samson and Delilah" by the French composer Camille Saint-Saens.

The production group was led by conductor Oleg Lesun and director Oksana Volkova.

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

PREMIERE

The day before A lively and friendly atmosphere prevailed at the press conference of journalists on the occasion of the forthcoming forum opening. Which is understandable: the colleagues have not seen each other for a long time. Moreover, everyone was in a state of anticipation of the holiday, which had to be paused due to the pandemic last year.

The meeting was opened by Valentin Elizariev, artistic director. He expressed the hope that the forum would be successful as an interesting program had been prepared. He also expressed gratitude to the sponsors, i.e. the general partner Bel VEB Bank, represented by the head of the marketing department Nikolai Dubovets. And then, on the ground of feeling unwell, he left the Chamber Hall, where the meeting was held, delegating the right to conduct it to the head of marketing communications service Tatyana Aleksandrova. She greeted everyone and announced that the main opening event of the forum would be the premiere of the opera "Samson and Delilah" on December 14. The production group was led by Honored Artist of Belarus, director Oksana Volkova and conductor Oleg Lesun. By the way, Oksana herself performed as Delilah at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, where a series of performances with her participation took place in 2014-2015.

The production designer is Ethel Ioshpa, laureate of the Russian national theater award "Golden Mask", and Stas Svistunovich, another "Golden Mask" winner, is responsible for lighting and video content.

They used to work with Oksana Volkova on her debut opera "Willis Fatum." People's Artist of Belarus Nina Lomanovich became the choirmaster of "Samson and Dalila". A choreographer is Sergey Mikel. Tatyana gave the floor to Oksana Volkova. We all noticed how excited our incomparable owner of a bright mezzosoprano was. No wonder: after all, as she confessed, she had just come after a rehearsal as a director. And this is what Oksana said: – I am very glad that we are at the stage of the project implementation. This is only my second production, and therefore I am experiencing very new sensations. The music of stunning beauty sounds in the opera of Saint-Saens. Besides, the biblical story of Samson and Delilah is known to many since childhood. I think there should be such an opera on the stage of our theatre. And, we can already say, that it has been staged for the first time!

As for the concept, interpretation, my vision of the production, I would not like to talk about it in advance, to reveal any secrets. It is important for the viewers to come to the theater and see our work with their own eyes – as they say, from scratch, without БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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PREMIERE

Samson – Dmitry Shabetsia

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any preparation. But still I want to say: if you compare it with the biblical story that is well known, then be prepared: we have shifted the emphasis. There are a lot of different inventions – but I will not speak about our ideas in advance.

But I will note a few points. From the visual point of view, we have costumes of stunning beauty. It seems to me that there have never been such luxurious ones. We are going to have large-scale scenery. Our performance is not like those performances that are well known to the public. It is unique. So, Samson in our performance will be young, although usually he is a rather mature man. This character is characterized by ardor, passion, recklessness – everything that is typical of young people, so everything will look organic Then Oksana Volkova introduced her team: – I am doing the second performance with these people. This is a wonderful stage designer Ethel Ioshpa from Moscow, lighting and video content designer Stas Svistunovich. We used to work together on my debut play "Willis Fatum".

Choreographer Sergey Mikel. Our theater stuff: the director-conductor Oleg Lesun, the permanent leader of the choir Nina Lomanovich. By the way, there are a lot of choral pieces in the opera. Many thanks to Nina Iosifovna for her work, and in general, the whole team, which now, in rather difficult conditions, is assembling the performance. The process of settling in the stage space continues. Of course, we try to be in time – to put the pieces of the performance together.

I would like to introduce you to the guest soloist Ivan Gyngazov. He is a wonderful tenor. He performs all over the world. We met in the opera "Sadko"

by Dmitry Chernyakov in October. And I am very glad that he is participating in the production. Besides, I do not remember such a case when a guest singer is introduced into a performance that does not exist yet. I am grateful to Ivan for understanding the situation. As it turned out, he's a flexible actor. He is quick to understand the wishes of the director. As they say, grasps in a single flash. I will say with pleasure: he has already realized 80 percent of my directorial wishes.

Conductor Oleg Lesun put it briefly: – "Samson and Delilah" has a wonderful score... Interesting work... Wonderful voices… There is much instrumentation,

there are nuances in the mood... I am glad that we have a positive atmosphere during the rehearsals.

And Tatyana Aleksandrova's remark caused a stir in the hall: – It is pleasant and exciting to approach the line, beyond which the performance is on the stage. Now the whole theatre lives with this expectation. That's what happened not long ago. We heard the following announcement on the internal communication: "We invite everyone to the bacchanalia!" Those who does not know will think: wow, that’s how they live here in the Bolshoi! And this is just one of the scenes of the play being rehearsed. And we all, together with Oksana Volkova, the entire production team, are in anticipation of the exciting moment of the premiere.

In turn, production designer Ethel Ioshpa noted that the opera "Samson and Delilah" is the second performance she is staging at the Bolshoi Theatre.

– This work is epic. I didn't want it to look posh, so with the help of artistic and visual means, we tried not to lose in epicism a love story of Samson and Delilah. There are two worlds in the performance. The first is the people whom Samson belongs to. Everything is laconic there. Hair is not covered, bare hands, which goes together with prayers.

The second world is the Philistines. It is aestheticized. We know that these people were the first to start melting metal, so there will be many references to it. These are gold and silver details on the armor, in the decorations, there will be metal plates and ornaments. Also, this world deals with hats. In the opera, in general, a great emphasis is placed on hair, but we will not reveal all the secrets...

Stas Svistunovich continued. He works in a play with light and video content.

Some of the journalists noticed that there were complaints from visitors that the equipment in the theater is not modern enough. To which he replied: "Well, you know that bad workers often blame their tools... He added: yes, some equipment is outdated: life flies quickly, but this is just another reason for a performer to make a creative step, to solve one or another staging problem – unconventionally.

Inventively.

Then Tatyana Aleksandrova announced the program of the forum and expressed gratitude to the sponsors, to which Nikolai Dubovets responded with the following words: "We are proud of our

PREMIERE cooperation with the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus, as well as the fact that thanks to the forum we provide Belarusians, lovers of good music, with the opportunity to share high art. The bank provides a good opportunity for the further development of national intellectuals".

The press conference took longer. The journalists fired questions, which were addressed to almost everyone present.

These are the answers to the questions that can be guessed: Oksana Volkova: – It was easier with "Willis". We had lot of time for the production. Moreover, the opera is short. The chorus is small.

This time the stage design is stunningly beautiful – but very hard to get used to.

It takes a long time for the soloists and the choir to get used to it. And we are pressed for time. In addition, the ballet dancers are busy with other projects all the time. And in the production there are such significant scenes as "Bacchanalia", "Dance of the Priestess with Delilah" and "Dance of Fire". The process of work on the performance continues... There are many soloists. 3 Samsons plus Ivan, our dear guest. 4 Delilahs! And we have to work with everyone. In general, there is a great shortage of Samsons in the opera world. But with Delilahs the situation is better.

After this performance, I realized that I will not work in the future according to the principle of "being a director for myself ". It is very difficult and time consuming. So I sometimes catch myself thinking: even my body works on stage not in the way I see it from the outside. I am very pleased with the beautiful costumes.

I think they are the most beautiful in our theatre.

I can assure everyone: our performance is unique, it is not similar to anything previously staged.

Nina Lomanovich: – The opera is in French, we do not often sing in it. It was difficult for the choristers to learn the lyrics. We worked a lot with language experts from the international department of our theatre.

But I will note that the opera is convenient for the chorus. The main difficulty for the production: everything is static in it.

Various prayers are sung. People are also different. Our task is to convey their inner essence. And this is not easy. Sometimes it is written in the score that you should sing quietly, but emotions are intense. But

our team is good. We understand each other.

Ivan Gyngazov: This is my first time here. Before it, I sang this part at the Mariinsky Theatre. I also have Belarusian ancestral roots. So I'm 25 percent Belarusian. My grandmother Valentina Bortich comes from the village of Nemanitsa, Borisov district.

At the age of 18 she went to Siberia, then she took her brothers there. I also have relatives living in Svetlogorsk who are going to come to the premiere.

Stas Svistunovich: – Light and video effects – we have a lot of different ideas. For example, we want to show how Samson seems to grow inside when he becomes blind. You will see how we have done it. Moreover, we see this process as if through the eyes of Samson. By means of light and video effects, we enhance imaginative solutions in the world of people and the world of gold – let's call them like this. And besides, we did a lot of work to ensure that two laser projectors work together at once. And this will be the first time in the history of the theatre. It was a very difficult technical task... As for my connection with Belarus, I am partly Belarusian too. I live in St. Petersburg. There are also Poles in my family. And our family lived in the village of Yatvez, Baranovichi district, where my grandfather and grandmother even built a church. There is also our family cemetery. Five generations of our family are buried there. My father and I have visited it several times...

After the press conference our colleagues stayed for some time to exchange impressions.

On the forum program АThe opening of the forum on December 14 was grandiose. To say that the performance "Samson and Delilah" is stunning, is to say nothing. But the impressions that we got should become fixed, take shape. The performance itself is worthy of a big separate talk about it.

On December 17, on the stage of the theatre, a solo concert of the world opera star, the prima of the Mariinsky Theatre Ekaterina Semenchuk, who, by the way, also has Belarusian roots, took place for the first time. You can read about her on the website of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus (https://bolshoibelarus.by/).

Ekaterina was born in Minsk, but has been living in St. Petersburg for about 25

Delilah – Anastasiya Malevich БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

35

PREMIERE years. The prima of the Mariinsky Theater has long won the stages of the world's largest opera houses. The finalist of the most prestigious vocal competitions – Operalia in Los Angeles and the BBC in Cardiff, she performed at La Scala in Milan, the Royal Theater in Madrid, the Paris National Opera, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, at famous festivals in Salzburg and Edinburgh. In the Belarusian Bolshoi her voice sounded for the first time seven years ago, at a concert dedicated to the Day of the Union State. Perhaps, since then, opera fans have kept the owner of the luxurious mezzo-soprano in view, they have been waiting for the opportunity to hear the singer again in their native Minsk. This event took place

the Belarusian Ekaterina Semenchuk is back in Minsk! "If since childhood I haven’t had a dream to sing on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus, I probably would not be here now, – Ekaterina admitted. – From the earliest years I attended all performances of our theatre and knew its entire repertoire: my grandparents took me to the opera and ballet very often. "Iolanta", "Katerina Izmailova", "Carmen", "Carmina Burana", "Bakhchisarai Fountain" – I remember very well both our performances and our artists. In those years, "The Wild Hunt of King Stakh" by Vladimir Soltan was staged. It is very important. Throughout my life, being far from the place where I was born, grew up and which I love very much, I never lost touch with my city

Azerbaijan Eyyub Kuliyev is at the conductor's stand. The invited guest is bass-baritone Maharram Huseynov, who is also from the Mariinsky Theatre.

The chief conductor of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (Baku), maestro Eyyub Kuliyev, in 2016 (together with Andrey Ivanov) was the conductor of the ballet "Love and Death" to the music of Polad Bulbul oglu (choreography by Olga Kostel).

The audience at the Belarusian Bolshoi applauded the Honored Artist of Azerbaijan more than once: he conducted operas "La Traviata" and "Aida" by G. Verdi (as Radames – Ahmed Agadi), "Carmen" by Georges Bizet (in the title role – Fidan Hajiyeva) and "Iolanta" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

on April 25: the Belarusians of the world – Nadezhda Kucher, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Pavel Petrov and Alexander Roslavets – performed Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem on the stage of the Bolshoi. And now

and country, my Belarusian roots are firm in this earth. I always feel that I am Belarusian..."

On the evening of December 17, a friend of our theatre, maestro from

On D e cemb er 17, Ku l ie v and Semenchuk met for the first time on stage. But they are friends with Maharram Huseynov, as the conductor himself admitted,. "This is a very talented singer

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

PREMIERE who, I have no doubt, has a great future. We are proud that such a talent has grown in Azerbaijan. Of course, it was impossible not to notice him. I am glad that he takes his profession so seriously, that he is working on himself.

We have already planned performances with his participation several times (on the stage of the Baku Opera), including in "Aida", where the main role was played by the Belarusian soprano Tatiana Tretiak. But we have a saying: everything works the best of three times. So, everything will be OK!" – says Eyyub. As a soloist of La Scala Academy, Magerram stared on the stages of various Italian theatres – in Rome, Rieti, Pesaro and others. On the stage of La Scala theatre in Milan, he performed the roles of Urs Khan ("Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"), Dulcamara ("Love Potion"), Pastor ("Khovanshchina"), Poet ("First music, then words") and Monterone ("Rigoletto"). The year 2021 began very successfully for the Azerbaijani singer – Maharram Huseynov performed in three productions of the Mariinsky Theater (St. Petersburg) – "Don Juan", "La Boheme" and "Tosca".

The performance-winner of the National Theatre Award, opera "Faust" by Charles Gounod directed by Anna Motornaya, was shown on December 18. It was conducted by Andrey Ivanov from Rostov Musical Theatre.

The role of Valentine in the opera was played by the world-famous baritone Vladislav Sulimsky from the Mariinsky Theater. This was his debut in an opera by Charles Gounod.

The next day, viewers saw the performance with which Oksana Volkova made her debut at the Bolshoi as a director, i.e. a magical drama "Willis Fatum" by Giacomo Puccini.

A sell-out performance was also shown: on December 21, Vladimir Soltan's opera "The Wild Hunt of King Stakh" was performed. Let us remind the reader that for the second time in the history of the theatre, Anna Motornaya has taken on an opera based on the detective story of the same name by Vladimir Korotkevich.

By tradition, the festival of music ended with a star gala concert. The closing ceremony on December 22 was attended by Ekaterina Semenchuk, Maharram Guseinov, Vladislav Sulimsky, as well as the soloist of the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre Venera Gimadieva and the artist of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia Goderdzi Janelidze, as well as soloists of the Belarusian opera. Chief conductor of the Magna Grecia Symphony Orchestra (Italy) Gianluca Marciano was at the conductor’s stand.

Mikhalina Cherkashina, Ivan Ivanov Photo credit: Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

37

TALENTS

grateful for everything This year Vladislav Khandogiy won first place at the prestigious international competition of Russian piano music in San Remo. At the age of 19, this is not his first victory, behind the Belarusian musician there are a number of different, no less significant international music competitions.

T

The young man is the winner of Sviridov 5th International Competition for Youth Performing Arts in St. Petersburg, the II International Competition for Young Pianists "Astana Piano Passion", a laureate of the 2nd International Competition for Young Pianists "Grand Piano Сompetition" in Moscow, winner of the first prize at the XV International Television Competition for Young Musicians "Nutcracker" and Ferrol International Piano Competition in Spain. Vladislav Khandogiy is a finalist of the 10th Gina Bachauer International Competition for Young Pianists in Salt Lake City, as well as New Names Foundation grant-holder. The musician has his own disc, which was recorded at Melodiya company in Moscow. The pianist's creative schedule is quite tight: projects at Moscow Philharmonic, performances in the cities of Russia, France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and other countries. Nevertheless, Vladislav found time for us in his creative schedule to talk about his participation in the recent competition, to tell about who he is really grateful to for the victory and what surprised him in Italian San Remo.

– Vladislav, where does your love for music come from?

– My parents are musicians: my mother, Tatyana Mikhailovna, is a musician of the orchestra at the Philharmonic, my father Petr Petrovich is a music school teacher, he also used to be an orchestra musician. I have an elder brother Aleksey, who played the piano, went to a music school. I really liked it when he played the piano, I listened to him and then I started to pick out the tunes that I heard. My parents noticed all this and at the age of seven they took me to a music school.

I liked it, of course, but I couldn't sit at the piano for a long time. It was quite difficult, and my parents even often forced me, because, of course, I wanted to go to play football with my friends instead of studying. Besides, there were also school classes. In general, my self-perception of a musician came when I started to take part in competitions, concerts, etc. But this feeling did not appear right away, at first, as I said, I was forced to study (laughs).

– Tell us, where are you studying now?

– In Moscow – I am a second-year student of Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. I graduated from the Republican Gymnasium-College in Minsk, then I studied at the Central Music School at the Conservatory for two years.

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

– How did you prep are for the competition in San Remo?

–You know, this is always a difficult task, and you need to devote a lot of time to mastering the program, to work on it. It is very difficult even psychologically, because you need to mentally prepare for all the worries, to control yourself, to feel confident on stage.

– What stages did it include?

– Three rounds. In the first round I performed Scriabin's Fantasy in B minor, Prokofiev's four etudes from Opus 2, in the second round – Bach's Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, as well as Prokofiev's Sonata No. 6. In the third round – Piano Concerto No. 2 of Rachmaninoff.

– And what was the most difficult?

– There was a high-class jury, I knew many of its members from previous competitions and concerts that they often give. In general, the composition of the participants was very professional, so it was not easy.

There are many criteria by which performances are judged.

You have to play faultlessly, emotionally, to convey what the composer wanted to express. It is important to convey all the shades and dynamics. It seems to me that the one who did it best deserves a reward. Personality, sound, style of performance are also important – probably, this all is assessed by the jury.

– What are you planning to spend the winning money on?

– I was awarded the prize for the best performance of a work

by Alexander Scriabin, and received 500 euros, and the victory in the competition brought me six thousand euro. In general, all the money that I win is spent on new contests, trips, it is all invested in music, recordings... Well, of course, I save up some money, in other words, I don’t waste it (laughs).

– Vladislav, what do you remember about San Remo?

– I was in San Remo for the first time, it is a very unusual city. Despite the fact that it is small, life is in full swing, and at the

"I really like to play football, of course, when there is time, but, unfortunately, there is none at all. And when the opportunity arises, I always try to play with the guys. I like to read books, but I can't do this either, because, again, every day I play the piano, I don't have enough time for anything else. I read Dostoevsky, I really like "Demons", "Crime and Punishment", "The Idiot". In fact, I admire the works of many authors, e.g. by Turgenev, I really love Bulgakov, in general, mostly Russian classics, the last thing I read from foreign literature was Jack London." same time you feel calm there. There was the sea near my hotel, a five-minute walk – and you are already on the beach. It is very beautiful there, wonderful weather, kind people, everyone is so calm and sympathetic.

– What famous pianists inspire you?

– I have a number of favorite performers whom I like to listen to or from whom I derive certain knowledge, emotional state in music. Actually, I don’t think it's very good to be like someone in our profession. Because the attempts to imitate somebody, seem to me a little unnatural. The most important thing, I think, is to preserve individuality, try to find your own way, try to achieve something yourself, and not to imitate. The performers I like are Murray Perahia, Van Cliburn, the American winner of the very first Tchaikovsky Competition; Richter, Gilels. However, I can't say that I like everything they play. Such modern musicians as Daniil Trifonov, Grigory Sokolov inspire me. In fact, my favorites are the pianists, who are kind of benchmarks in the performance of certain pieces.

– To whom are you grateful for the success in the competition?

– First of all, to my parents, because without them, probably, nothing would have happened. They are the most important teachers in my life. Naturally, all my teachers who were nearby: at the music school – Irina Valentinovna Samokhovets, and Irina Yuryevna Semenyako, who taught me for a very long time at the Republican College of Music in Minsk, and my teacher at the moment, Professor Natalya Vladimirovna Trull. They all influenced my life, and all are my friends.

– Piano is a fixed-site instrument.

Ho w d o y o u a d a p t t o n e w instruments at competitions and concerts?

– We are not worried about this. Mostly there are very good instruments. If, for example, there are performances in America, Italy, France, Germany, it is natural that there will always be great instruments, because this is the image of the competition, its status. It is a must, no other way is possible. And if there is a performance in a small town, then, of course, there

may be a modest instrument, but I don't think that this is a problem.

– How do you relax in your free time?

– I really like to play football, of course, when there is time, but, unfortunately, there is none at all. And when the opportunity arises, I always try to play with the guys. I like to read books, but I can't do this either, because, again, every day I play the piano, I don't have enough time for anything else. I read Dostoevsky, I really like "Demons", "Crime and Punishment", "The Idiot". In fact, I admire the works of many authors, e.g.

by Turgenev, I really love Bulgakov, in general, mostly Russian classics, the last thing I read from foreign literature was Jack London.

– Share your plans…

– I am already preparing for new events. There was a registration for the next competition – in Italy, then I will come to the competition in Minsk... I have to make records for two major events: one – in America, the other – in Spain. In short, life is in full swing!

Nadezhda ZUEVA Photo credit: archive of the musician

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE

THE CAPITAL INSPIRES CREATIVITY Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery hosted the exhibition "My Minsk – My Inspiration." The exposition displayed paintings, graphic and sculptural works from the funds of Minsk City History Museum and the Belarusian Union of Artists, many of which had not been exhibited for a long time and became a real discovery for lovers of urban landscape.

The chronological range of works covers the mid-twentieth – early twenty-first centuries. Among the authors of the exhibition there are recognized masters of Minsk landscapes: painters Viktor Varlamov, Boris Arakcheev, Viktor Versotsky, Abram Krol, Vasily Sumarev and others. In their works Minsk shows its different sides, different moods, different seasons, different historical periods.

Meanwhile, the exposition can be divided into several main directions in terms of the city image depiction. Among them, the leading place is taken by the urban landscape, which today has acquired a historical character. It is obvious that since the 1950s and 1960s many Minsk streets have irrevocably changed their appearance, this particularly noticeable in the works by V. Varlamov, A. Krol, V. Mudrogin, Z. Shklyar, A. Petrukhna. In the

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БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

works of these artists the old quarters of Nemiga, Trinity Suburb, wooden buildings preserve the atmosphere of the old Minsk.

The works of the 1970s and 1980s look contrasting, in them the city has an image of the Soviet capital with wide streets, neoclassical architecture, and new buildings. Attention is shifted from the historical center to new neighborhoods, i.e. a tractor-plant village and Loshitsa. In the works of Alexey Koktev. the vibrant atmosphere of city festivals goes in tune with the traditions of socialist realism.

The theme of honoring the memory of the victims of the war is traditionally shown through the iconic monuments of Minsk, where the most attractive object for the authors is Victory Square.

It is easy to compare how different the obelisk looks in the works of the 1950s and, for example, the 1980s.

INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE

The exhibition also featured the works by contemporary artists, e.g. V. Zenko, G. Otchik, V. Slobodchikov, G. Sitnitsa, V. Peshkun, A. Kuznetsov. It is interesting that the artists of the 21st century, along with the depiction of today's metropolitan reality, still pay a lot of attention in their works to the city's past, its historical landscape, and the objects of the former urban architecture. And this peculiar feature aroused even greater interest in the exposition among its visitors.

Veniamin Mikheev Photo credit: the author

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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EVERYTHING IS LIKE IN THOSE DAYS In the same place, in Mikhail Savitsky art gallery, the exhibition project "FASHION. MUSIC. YOUTH" was held about the hobbies of Minsk residents in the 1950s-1980s

Fashion is undoubtedly an integral part of urban culture.

It can be called a kind of mass communication, a way of information transmission. It consists of a set of signs and symbols that give an idea of trends and preferences in clothing, music, cinema, literature, art, as well as in the manner of communication and choice of places of leisure. Young people are most susceptible to fashion trends. They are in search of an image that would reflect their inner world. Fashion for young people is a sign of a modern person, a means of communication, a way of adaptation to urban life.

But is it so easy to be fashionable? In a modern city, many channels of information are open to a person as well as ample opportunities in the field of education and leisure. But back in the middle of the last century, fashion was not so affordable.

It took pains to look and be considered a fashionable young person. In conditions of deficit, one had to resort to all kinds of tricks to flaunt jeans or a record of a popular rock band before their peers.

The 1950s-1980s is the time when they were carried away by everything at once. So at the exhibition in the gallery one could see a fashionista's corner, a photographer's room, and a book-case with a collection of books from the "Library of World Literature" series, which the owner was once so proud of.

Cinema and music can be called the source of fashion trends of the twentieth century, and actors and musicians acted as trendsetters. Passion for cinema has always been fashionable, and not only among young people. However, it was young people who most often collected photographs with portraits of celebrities. The collection of the citizen of Minsk A. Sirotkina

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MEETING WITH THE RECENT PAST

consists of five albums with photographs of film stars of the 20th century, which she has collected since young age and has carefully kept all her life.

Another resident of Minsk put together a collection of the daily magazines "Sputnik Film Festival" of the 15th Moscow International Film Festival held in 1987 with color posters of actors and films.

Foreign and domestic records are a real gem of the exposition from private collections of V. Surmachevsky, S. Tarasov, as well as turntables, tape recorders, and "Krugozor" magazines. The legendary radio-sets "Minsk R-7", "Rigonda", "Vega", "Ural", tape recorders "Jupiter", "Mayak", "Nota" were exhibited. Rare exhibits include the original 1969 poster "The Beatles", tapes with home recordings of amateur youth bands.

Fashionable images of the 1950s-1980s were presented in the surviving costumes and dresses of Minsk dwellers. The revolutionary 1960s gave birth to the very concept of "youth fashion" and fashion houses began to appear in large cities of the USSR. However, the sewing industry could not cope with the increased demands of Soviet citizens, so they had to master skills of cutting and sewing at the courses, and bargain with resellers.

At the exhibition one could see imported dresses, clothes made of popular synthetic fabrics, Soviet jeans that go together with a fashionable nylon shirt.

The exposition was complemented by a map of fancy places, compiled from the stories and memoirs of Minsk residents.

It helps to navigate the routes of Minsk youth of the past and compare them with modern fashionable Minsk.

Veniamin Mikheev

БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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TRAVELING TOGETHER

VORONOVO. BENYAKONI. BOLTENIKI Travel notes about a hiking adventure in Grodno region, near the border with Lithuania

T

The previous essay (they have been published in the magazine since the beginning of the year) ended with a story about Geraneny and its interesting history.

It was an exemplary village in the Soviet 1970s and 1980s. Thanks to hardworking people, active and far-sighted leadership, the local agricultural economy was then known outside Belarus. People from different parts of the Soviet Union went to work in a comfortable area of Grodno region. An international agro-town arose in the deep countryside: representatives of almost 20 nationalities lived there.

However, the name – agro-town – started to be widely used in Belarus later, in the 2000s, when systematic work was carried out in the country to reorganize agriculture, adapt it to modern living conditions and social standards.

On the way to the district center Voronovo – the road led us there on the eve of May Day – we thought about the

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"international Geraneny phenomenon".

When the Soviet Union collapsed, the economy of the previously successfell collective farm began to decline. The teachers told us that in the mid-1990s there were more conflicts in families, and the pupils "brought their problems" i nt o t h e c l a s s ro om s . O f c ou r s e , instability in society at all times affects the life of each of us. And the teachers in Geraneny tried to bring up children not only according to old standards, i.e. "it is necessary, it is accepted, it is so established," but they began to invite them to confidential conversations, to look into their inner world. After all, it is important, we thought, for everyone, even schoolchildren, both to feel comfortable in the external world and to learn to observe the movements of the soul, its impulses, joys, worries.

We even had a little discussion on the way, in our diary we called it "On the laws

of atomic consciousness and the laws of the soul". We reflected on the importance of harmonization of our life in society and within ourselves. About the ability to prioritize. We know that after the socialist revolution, many people from the underclass were in euphoria: well, now everything will be different. But no...

If you do not organize, do not harmonize your personal world, then the outside world will always be inconvenient for you. So, we came to an agreement that we should start "making the world a better place" with ourselves. Valentina left the diagram in her diary for clarity. And below, on page 88, there are two postage

PLANETABELARUS BY

Passing through the regional center in 1996, we could not see the modern attraction of Voronovo – the Church of God of Mercy.

The temple was just being built then: from 1990 to 2002.

stamps. As a proof that we were traveling in the real world: on April 30, 1996, we came to the district center Voronovo.

We found a local school and asked to stay overnight. The director himself came to accommodate us in one of the class-rooms: Aleksandr Mikhailovich Vasyukov. After the conversation with him, it was noted in the diary that the school was overcrowded (1362 pupils, 102 teachers, of which 15 were men), the school worked double-shift, and there was no opportunity for additional educatio-nal work. More than 20 years have passed since then, and in January 2020, information about the

reconstruction of Voronovo school appeared in the Belarusian media.

Schoolchildren, teachers and parents received such a gift "in the first days of a significant year for Voronovo district: the 75th anniversar y of the Great Victory and the 80th anniversary of the district," as well as on the last day of the republican campaign "Our Children." A large-scale reconstruction was held in all three buildings, and the largest one in the building, constructed in 1957. At the opening of the school, which provides comfortable conditions for teaching children and adolescents, for the work of teachers, barrier-free environment and a

modern security system, it was noted that such reconstructions took place in 20192020 in schools of Ostrovets, Grodno,.

The state, allocating significant funds, makes sure that the educational process in the provinces meets the requirements of our time.

However, we did not meet pupils in Voronovo school. Setting off at 7 o'clock a.m., we recorded that 23 kilometers had been covered the day before. And such an early departure was "arranged" by the school guard, who woke us up at 5.30! Apparently, he had his own reasons.

And after an extremely early start in the morning, we had a quick breakfast not far БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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TRAVELING TOGETHER

The count's house in Bolteniki looked different at the time when Count Wawrzyniec Stanislaw Jan Puttkamer lived in it with his wife Maryla from the Wereszczaka dynasty (married in 1821). At the invitation of the owners, Adam Mickiewicz came to the family home of the Putkamers in the summer of 1822 and stayed there for two weeks. In that house, there lived four Wawrzyniec and Maryla’s children, i.e.

Sofia, Stanislaw, Karolina and Kazimir. And the grandson of the count in 1890 rebuilt the house to his liking, made it of red brick, in the neo-Gothic style – this is what it looks like today.

from the town square. Then we went to Benyakoni. Now, looking at our route in Google maps, we think: then we could not see the modern attraction of Voronovo – the Church of God of Mercy. After all, the temple was just being built (from 1990 to 2002), and the road did not go past the building, but to the north of the settlement. In addition, it was raining, we wrapped ourselves in capes, and did not look back too much. It was raining all the way to Benyakoni – more than 10 km, so we didn't open the diary. Later we wrote: "We came to Benyakoni. It’s raining heavily. We sit, sheltering ourselves from it, in the gazebo of a local music school.

We discuss the ways to learn how to harmoniously fit into the world, to respect its laws".

Imagine: two freaks hike for two hours, got wet in the May rain – and that's what they are thinking about...

When writing notes, the name Benyakoni

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unintentionally involves the parable "Buddha and the Four Horses" into our narrative – it can be found on the Internet.

The parable is also about how the world works, how to find own place therein. We give the text in full.

"They say that once a man approached Buddha and asked: does God exist?

Buddha looked at him intently and said: – In my youth I loved horses and distinguished four types. The first is the most stupid and stubborn: no matter how much it is whipped, it won’t obey.

There are many people like this. The second type: the horse obeys, but only after having been whipped. There are also a lot of such people. There is a third type: horses that do not need to be whipped. You just show it a whip and that's enough. There is a fourth type of horses, which is very rare: the shadow of a whip is enough for them.

Having said all this, Buddha looked into the man's face, then closed his eyes and fell silent. The man also closed his eyes and sat in silence with Buddha.

Ananda was present and something inside him began to protest. He reasoned: "It is a bit over the top! The man asks about God, and the Teacher talks about horses."

Saying it to himself, Ananda could not help but see: what a silence, what a great silence! It was almost palpable. Ananda watched the faces of Buddha and the man undergoing transformation right before his eyes! Buddha opened his eyes, and the man sat in this state for another hour. His face was calm and enlightened.

Opening his eyes, the man touched the feet of Buddha with deep gratitude, thanked him and left. When he left, Ananda asked Buddha: "I don’t understand this! He asks about God, and you talk about horses... I saw him lapse into deep silence. As if he

RADZIMA.ORG

The noblewoman Maryla Wereszczaka (in Polish: Maryla Wereszczakówna, full name Marianna Ewa), the muse of Adam Mickiewicz and the future wife of Count Wawrzyniec Puttkamer.

The Church of John the Baptist in Benyakoni became the place of the wedding of Count Wawrzyniec Puttkamer and Maryla. Maryla Puttkamer was also buried there, in the churchyard, on December 29, 1863.

had been living with you for many years.

Even I have never known such silence!

What a union! What a communication!

What was transferred? Why did he thank you so much?

Buddha replied: "I didn't talk about horses. He asked about the Divine, but this cannot be spoken about directly. When I saw what horse he had come on, I realized that such a horse can only be chosen by a true connoisseur. That's why I started talking about horses. It was the language that he understands and he understood it. He is a rare person. The shadow of a whip would be enough for him. And when I closed my eyes, he realized that we could’t talk about the Almighty. One can only keep silent about him; and in this silence it is cognizable. This is a transcendental experience that goes beyond reasonable."

These are the associations that were caused by the name Benyakoni. Many

people know that this is an agro-town on the border with Lithuania. Not far from the international automobile checkpoint Benyakoni – and on the other side of the border there is a corresponding Lithuanian structure called Šalčininkai.

They say that the name of the settlement was once formed from the name of a Jew who had two post houses: on both sides of the border. Allegedly, the travelers who wanted to ride faster, sometimes shouted "Benya, koni (give me horses)!" Although it is not a Shakespearean phrase (in his tragedy "King Richard III" there is a famous phrase "A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!"), but also quite dynamic. As for the parable about horses, unfortunately, in the knowledge of great truths, many of us still (both in the 90s, and in Buddha time...) remain in the "horse number 1" situation – and therefore, as they say, get beans: from life's circumstances, from "bad" people and family members... Some

obey only "after having been whipped" – there are also many of them. By the way, Belarusians have a wise saying in this respect: "If you don’t want to listen to a good word, you will listen to a bad stick".

Well, and whether we are among those for whom the "shadow of a whip" is enough, or just a "kind word" – let everyone decide for oneself.

It seems to us that among the great people who have learned to peer into the secrets of life, to see its hidden "mechanisms", was the poet Adam Mickiewicz. His fate was full of trials.

Adam Bernard Mickiewicz, a native of historical Lithuania, was born on the eve of Christmas, on December 24, 1798 in Zaosie, a farm in the then Novogrudok district of the Lithuanian province – now it is the territory of Baranovichi district of Brest region. But why was the street in Benyakoni named after him, along which we were walking to Bolteniki? БЕЛАРУСЬ.BELARUS DECEMBER 2021

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TRAVELING TOGETHER

You will soon understand. By the way, on the house number 2 we saw a sign: "By resolution of Benyakonski village council dated 28.12.1995, the original name of is returned to Dzerzhinsky street: Adam Mickiewicz Street".

We reached the village of Bolteniki.

There we learned that the place was highlihted by the name of the poet. It was in Bolteniki that Maryla Wereszczaka, the muse of Adam Mickiewicz, a native of Tukhanovichi close to Novogrudok, lived married to a local count. Maryla married in 1821 the 27-year-old Count Wawrzyniec Puttkamer: the marriage was consecrated, by the way, in the church in Benyakoni. And there, in the cemetery near the Church of Jan the Baptist, Maryla Puttkamer was buried on December 29, 1863. We will not retell the most romantic story about Maryla and Adam: it is well known to those who are interested in Belarusian literature and its characters. But the family estate in Boltenki, where the poet's friends later lived (he was on friendly terms with the count, respected him as a noble person), which Mickiewicz used to visit, has survived to this day. At that time, in 1996, the building housed the board of the local collective farm. Nowadays, the memory of Adam Mickiewicz’s muse attracts tourists to Bolteniki, both Belarusian and foreign. It is believed that the first house in Puttkamer estate – the one where the count brought his wife Maryla after the wedding – was built in the 18th century and incorporated the architectural elements of Baroque and Classicism.

Although the building has not survived, its outline is visible in the painting by the famous artist Napoleon Orda. There is evidence that the building had luxurious interior, which corresponded to the high status of the owners. The guests were especially impressed by the exclusive Empire-style furniture and painted ceilings. Undoubtedly, Adam Mickiewicz also saw that beauty when he visited the count's house.

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In 1890, the grandson of Wawrzyniec and Maryla, rebuilt the old stone house to his taste. The manor got its modern look, which tourists see today, and we also saw it over in Bolteniki: made of red brick, in the neo-Gothic style. The building has beautifully preserved fireplace stoves, tiled with exquisite British tiles. The picturesque park near the former estate and the pond next to it are well-kept. By the way, these landscapes "in the tonality of rain" are reflected in the poem that we wrote in Bolteniki. However, at that time the park was still in decline, the bottom of the pond was being cleaned. In the story "There is the Logic of Hiking", Ivan mentions: "It is interesting that just together with the poem, a pressed buttercup remained in the travel diary: two yellow flowers on one stem. But I can't remember where Valya got it from."

Lines from a poem (loose translation): "Once over a lake – berhymed? – / A muse used to lve and walk / Who blossomed with inspiration for the poet, / And then she became a countess..."

The doubts in the poem as to whether Mickiewicz "berhymed" the lake in Bolteniki, whether he was there, are for a reson. This is now we can be learn a lot thanks to the Internet. By the way, an interesting detail: on the same date, only a year later, on December 24, 1799, the future muse of Mickiewicz, noblewoman Mar yla Wereszczaka (Polish name Maryla Wereszczakówna, full name Marianna Ewa), was born. She was a cousin of Ignatius Domeyko – he went down in history as a famous scientist, geologist, national hero of Chile. On the Internet there are tearful comments made by some fans of the story on the eternally unhappy Maryla: ah, she had to marry not the one she loved, but the one she had been engaged to before. Decency is not the worst quality in our life. In "Eugene Onegin" by Alexander Pushkin there is also a love triangle, and Tatiana clarifies the situation for Eugene with the well-known lines: "But I was given

to another, / And I will be faithful to him forever." Why even ask the question if Maryla would be happy married to the poor exiled poet Adam? Poems, romantic meetings remained for her in the past, after marriage, apparently, the countess had other concerns, four children. But the noble behavior of Count Wawrzyniec Puttkamer deserves great respect: he received the poet in his house, respected his romantic feelings, as well as the good name of his beloved Maryla. And the fact that the spouses were like-minded in life is evidenced by the following historical fact: in June 1833, when the Uprising of 1830-31 was suppressed, Maryla Puttkamer from the Wereszczaka dynasty and her husband Wawrzyniec were arrested for joint assistance to the emissar Marcel Shimansky.

From Bolteniki we moved towards Radun. We remember that when we were walking past Poletskishki, the rain stopped. We wanted to stop by the office of the then collective farm named after Kirov, Voronovo district: at least to have a stamp "as a memento" in the diary.

However, we changed our minds, because cheerful voices were heard from the building: surely people were celebrating May Day. It is interesting that after Boltiniki many poems appeared in our diary – about roads, about the romance of travel...

One of them has a title: "In Search of the Fire of Love." It is clear that the theme of romantic love, which is associated with that part of Voronovo area, needed a certain comprehension. Our travel diary entries related to various phenomena, events, thoughts and experiences. We even found such an image: we, travelers, are like bees that gather nectar from a variety of flowers. And some of the stocks of the "honey" gathered in 1996 do not age, but acquire a special taste over the years.

Valentina and Ivan Zhdanovich

Winter sketch FASEVICH ALINA

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