Events
‘Service in the name of Belarus’ future’. What democracy achievement is Lukashenko most proud of?
Aleksandr Lukashenko during the first session of the 7th Belarusian People’s Congress, 24 April 2024
The Belarusian People’s Congress continues the historical traditions that have been adapted to the present time. Belarusians have always made the most important decisions together – both during ancient popular assemblies and during the modern Belarusian People’s Congress. It is an unwavering tradition. Today’s Belarusian People’s Congress is a platform where Belarusians of different ages, professions, representatives of all the regions work together, discuss strategic matters, and determine the ways for the country to develop.
Since 1996 every congress proceeded in different economic and political conditions. Meanwhile, goals and tasks of the Belarusian People’s Congresses remained strategic but time identified the priorities that had to be taken care of here and now. The head of state presented them in his speeches during every Belarusian People’s Congress. BelTA’s YouTube project “How it was: DOC” presents an overview of what the Belarusian leader talked about from the Belarusian People’s Congress rostrum.
The year 1996. Why was a powerful leap necessary and how was it achieved?
The first Belarusian People’s Congress took place in the Palace of Sports in Minsk. Back then the country faced a multitude of tasks and every one of them was not an easy one. It was necessary to create a stable economy, sort out the political problems, enable comfortable conditions for the people to live and work.
“I have to admit that over the two years of the presidency it has not been possible to overcome crisis phenomena in the economy despite some improvements. A majority of citizens still lives a hard life. A powerful leap is necessary. It will be possible only if a dynamic and wise economic policy is available,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said during the session of the 1st Belarusian People’s Congress.
The head of state described an increase in living standards of the Belarusian nation as a strategic goal of the social and economic changes. Back then Aleksandr Lukashenko identified a way of securing this goal: by creating a highly efficient economy with a strong focus on social security. The main directions of the social and economic development of the Republic of Belarus in 1996-2000 that were submitted for consideration of the delegates of the Belarusian People’s Congress stipulated three priorities: the export of goods and services, housing construction, and the development of the agribusiness complex.
Everything is rooted in life. Exports earn foreign currency for the economy. “In addition to preserving the traditional target markets in Russia and other CIS states we should fight for new ones. Everything should be geared towards it: both science and manufacturing,” the president identified the task. He pointed out that Belarus is one of the few former Soviet Union republics that have preserved agriculture of its own. “As for the strategy to reform the agriculture, it should preserve everything that has been justified in practice and should ensure a gradual introduction of new management methods. The collective farms that operate successfully should be preserved and developed while any reforms in the countryside should result in higher efficiency of production and in better living conditions for the rural population. Farming tolerates no adventurism. The land needs a thoughtful master and we should take care of it,” the president identified this vector of development of the agribusiness during the 1st Belarusian People’s Congress.
Explaining why housing construction is a priority, the president clarified that in addition to taking care of those in need housing construction represents a powerful branch of the national economy that is capable of becoming an engine that will help the economy recover from the crisis. “On the one hand, it will revitalize the entire construction sector, which employs about 300,000 people. On the other hand, it will help solve the most important social problem guaranteeing in practice the constitutional right to housing,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
The adoption of the first social and economic development program in the history of sovereign Belarus was not the only strategic decision of the first Belarusian People's Congress. The Belarusian People's Congress also approved the amendments and additions to the Constitution proposed by the president.
“Today, it has become evident that preserving the existing version of the Basic Law unchanged or adopting the proposal from the parliamentary leadership and Communists to abolish the institution of the presidency is a direct path to chaos, the plundering of national wealth, and, in essence, surrendering the country into the hands of political adventurers. The imperfections of the current Basic Law are particularly acute in two areas: ensuring human rights and the interaction between branches of power,” Aleksandr Lukashenko explained the necessity of the constitutional reform.
The amendments and additions to the Basic Law, which transformed the country from a parliamentary-presidential to a presidential system, were supported by Belarusians one month after the session of the Belarusian People's Congress. The decision was taken by the nation in a national referendum.
The first Belarusian People's Congress remained relevant in the nation's life even many years later. After all, it was this congress that gave rise to a new and unique political institution. “Many people say: 'Well, what is this All-Belarusian People's Congress ... It's something Lukashenko came up with.' Here, we have the 'old-timers' who were present at the first Belarusian People's Congress and who remember those times and the reasons that compelled me to convene this all-Belarusian gathering. And if it weren't for the support of the delegates who came from all corners of the country, delegates who did not yet know Lukashenko as president, but were united by one dream: to save the country, as trouble was at our doorstep… If it weren't for you, your colleagues who gathered then, if you hadn't firmly said 'no' to collapse, I repeat: we would not be here today,” the president said as he addressed the fifth Belarusian People's Congress in 2016.
The year 2001: How to earn a living and stay healthy?
The second Belarusian People's Congress was held at the Palace of the Republic. The situation in the country was significantly better than five years earlier. The people had determined the constitutional structure; an effective system of state governance had been created; and the most pressing economic problems had been resolved. Notably, in 2000 the economic output surpassed even the level of 1990, the most economically productive year of the Soviet era.
The social and economic development program for 2001-2005 presented for consideration at the Belarusian People's Congress also placed special emphasis on solving housing issues, ensuring food security, and building up Belarus's export potential. Significant progress had already been made in these areas over the previous five years. For instance, the gross domestic product grew by 36% over the five-year period. More than 3.5 million square meters of housing were commissioned annually. Exports increased from $5 billion in 1995 to $8 billion in 2000.
“We raised the nation from its knees, created efficient state institutions and an optimal social and economic system, the kind of system that could be built at this stage of our development. This is the main outcome of our work over the past five to seven years,” the head of state said as he addressed the second Belarusian People's Congress.
“Without abundant raw materials or rich patrons, we must rely solely on our hard work and intelligence to build our future. This reality makes innovation and investment the essential pillars of our agenda. I am certain of your backing. But, comrades, let’s be objective. Can there be dynamic development in the economy, culture, education, science, and other spheres without sufficient attention to public health? Of course not. Therefore, I am convinced that the health of the nation is paramount; without it, everything else is impossible. So, for the next five years, I see no need to alter the existing system of priorities. The three we identified as key, namely exports, housing, and food, are proposed to remain our most important areas of focus for the coming five-year period. As the instruments for achieving them, we will highlight science, considering it the primary, fundamental tool, along with public health. The quality of life of our people is directly dependent on the state of healthcare. Investing in human health is an investment in the future,” the president said at the time.
2006. Why are intellectual resources more valuable than material ones?
Over the ten-year period spanning the first to the third Belarusian People’s Congress, the country worked to reestablish a normal life. “Reflect for a moment: while others were progressing, developing new sectors, pioneering technologies, building social infrastructure, we dedicated an entire decade to reconstructing all that was lost,” the president stated addressing the delegates of the third Belarusian People’s Congress.
Following the fulfillment of the key goals of the 2001-2005 social and economic development program, 2006 marked a transition from post-crisis recovery to sustained development. “The development path we chose has proven to be the correct one. This is evidenced by the high rates of economic growth our economy has sustained for more than a decade,” the head of state said.
Improving the quality of life was set as the key objective for the next five-year period. “We aim to create opportunities for the full development of every person: ensuring physical health, spiritual richness, a strong education, and a readiness to embrace new technologies. This is why our efforts will remain concentrated on developing education, science, culture, and sports,” the president said at the third Belarusian People’s Congress. Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that the transition to a higher quality of life for individuals and for society as a whole would require more dynamic economic growth. Consequently, in the real sector of the economy, the emphasis shifted toward transitioning to a resource-efficient model of production, where the decisive factor is not the volume of raw materials or energy consumed, but human capital encompassing science, education, information, and creative work.
“The adoption of advanced technologies, the accelerated development of high-tech industries, and import-substituting and export-oriented production are the main directions we will pursue. Energy supply and energy efficiency are of strategic importance to our economy. As is well known, Belarus imports all its primary raw materials and energy resources. This, of course, poses significant challenges for our country. But ultimately, many developed nations find themselves in a similar position. What is far worse is that we consume twice as many resources per unit of output as economically developed countries.” Therefore, reducing the material and energy intensity of production is a vital task for us. Its solution must be ensured primarily by the country’s high intellectual resources,” the president explained, outlining the necessity of this approach.
2010. How was the economy changing its face?
The key task defined in the country’s social and economic development program for 2011-2015, considered by delegates of the 4th Belarusian People’s Congress, was the development of fundamentally new industries, enterprises, and sectors producing export-oriented high-tech products. From that point forward, the country faced the task of shaping a new image for the Belarusian economy. Solving these problems was necessary to preserve an independent, strong, and prosperous Belarus.
In the five years between the 3rd and 4th Congresses, the country faced the severe test of a global crisis, the deepest in the post-war history of the world. Belarus passed this test with dignity, drawing important lessons from it. As the president noted in his address to the 4th Belarusian People’s Congress, by 2010 the country had already learned to tackle any challenges and was capable of competing successfully on the global stage. Even at the peak of the crisis, when global unemployment reached hundreds of millions, Belarus avoided mass job cuts. In fact, in 2009, employment in the national economy was 0.7% higher than in the prosperous year of 2008.
“Today we stand on the threshold of a new economic policy. The structure of the economy is changing. We must move away from being oriented toward importing huge volumes of raw materials and energy to produce a small amount of added value. The economy must grow through fundamentally new industries and enterprises that yield products with high added value. The progressive reshaping of the Belarusian economy will be achieved by modernizing existing industries and establishing new, knowledge-intensive sectors and companies,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the 4th Belarusian People’s Congress.
Then, the head of state defined the goal of the extensive work in the economy: “Our goal is a real, down-to-earth one: that the Belarusian people live better tomorrow than they do today. The path is defined: from preserving what has been created, achieved, and gained through collective labor, to the manifold multiplication of the prosperity of the Belarusian people and the country.”
2016. Why must the powder be kept dry?
The address to compatriots, adopted by the 5th Belarusian People’s Congress, stated: “Our greatest achievement is peace, stability, and confidence in the future.” It sounds noble, but behind these words lies immense work, and the results of this work can be very easily lost. The head of state placed special emphasis on this point.
In 2015, a peaceful and good-neighborly foreign policy, and the rejection of the use of force in resolving international disputes, allowed Belarus to become the primary platform for negotiations aimed at settling the armed conflict in Ukraine. In his address to the 5th Belarusian People’s Congress, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that Belarus, located in the geographical center of Europe, cannot remain aloof from challenges and threats that are not only occurring far from us, but are now right at our doorstep.
“Today, the international community views Belarus as a donor of regional security. It is gratifying that our sincere desire to help establish peace on Ukrainian soil as soon as possible has been heard and understood. We, and I personally, have maintained this position to this day. History has taught us that any peace-loving policy must be underpinned by the state’s real ability to protect its people. Touching on security issues, I constantly repeat that ‘gunpowder must be kept dry’. The presence of combat-ready Armed Forces, a system of territorial defense, and effective law-enforcement institutions is a guarantee of peace and stability on our land. But here as well I want to emphasize that a country’s defense capability rests on its economic strength and the spirit of its people,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said in his report.
2021. What did the Belarusian People’s Congress reveal about society’s expectations?
Twenty-five years passed between the first and sixth Belarusian People’s Congresses, yet they had much in common. The president drew attention to this when speaking at the VI Congress. “The current period can be compared to the first Belarusian People’s Congress. It is similar. The only difference is that back then there was complete hopelessness. There was no country, nothing at all. A turning point, chaos in people’s minds. Many remember that time. I remember it very well too, seeing it from above as a member of the Supreme Council. And there are people in this hall who stood beside me then. We were together, we lived through it all. We are experiencing a similar period now. The difference is that Belarus has come under a brutal external attack. I repeat, a most severe attack from outside,” the head of state noted. He stressed that Belarus views confrontation in foreign policy as a dead end and is ready to build relations with all countries and unions on the basis of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs.
“We simply want to preserve our political stability. This course may not please everyone, as I have said. But this is exactly how any state acts if it wants to remain sovereign and independent on the world map, and we are no exception. We are not freeloaders and not a satellite state waiting with a begging bowl for subsidies and loans in exchange for abandoning our own views and common sense,” the president said.
Another parallel between the first and sixth Belarusian People’s Congresses was also evident. In 2021, Aleksandr Lukashenko again proposed introducing amendments and additions to the Constitution and putting them to a referendum. “I believe that the Belarusian People’s Congress should be given the authority to address the main issue: defining the strategy for the development of our society. And this will become law for all citizens of the country: for the head of state, for parliament, and for others. Safeguarding our sovereignty and independence, ensuring defense and combat readiness must be maintained at the proper level. The key point is that this should be done without interfering in the executive and administrative functions of the state. That will remain the responsibility of the government bodies and the head of state,” the president said, announcing his historic proposal.
The proposed amendments to the Constitution were actively discussed by the public. At the 2022 national referendum, the majority of Belarusians supported them. As a result, a new chapter titled “Belarusian People’s Congress” was added to the Constitution, and the Congress received constitutional status, becoming the highest representative body of people power.
2024. Will it be easy or interesting?
In 2024, the first session of the VII Belarusian People’s Congress took place. For the first time in history, the Congress operated as a constitutional body. For the first time, the president’s Address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly was delivered from the Congress podium.
“All five-year socio-economic development programs were implemented only after being approved by the delegates of the Congress. The time has come to move to a new level, and we have done so. With the acquisition of constitutional status, the role of the Congress and the powers of its delegates have increased many times over. Today the Belarusian People’s Congress approves all the main program documents that determine the country’s economic development and security – all strategic issues. I emphasize: strategic issues. Another important and new task of the Belarusian People’s Congress is to address personnel issues. Now you, delegates of the Belarusian People’s Congress, will elect judges of the Constitutional and Supreme Courts, members of the Central Election Commission,” Aleksandr Lukashenko addressed the delegates. The president pointed out that all those in attendance, no matter their profession, hold a single status: participants of the Belarusian People’s Congress, delegates, and guests. “This achievement of our national democracy is my greatest source of pride,” he admitted.
In his address, the head of state emphasized that there is no divide between the authorities and the people in Belarus, citing the Belarusian People’s Congress as evidence. “What is more, the Belarusian People’s Congress has received exclusive powers to suspend the decisions of any agency or official. Thus, the congress will serve as a protective buffer against possible dangerous processes that go against the interests of society and the state. The delegates embody the people’s voice and their collective mind. This is more than just a congress. You are the nation’s conscience, you are, I repeat, the people’s voice. You have no right to make mistakes. You only have the right to be loyal and devoted to your country and our people. Your mission is to serve for the future of Belarus. It is highly symbolic that the Belarusian People’s Congress begins its work by discussing and adopting the most important documents ensuring national security,” the president stated.
The first documents adopted by the Belarusian People’s Congress in its new status were the National Security Concept and the Military Doctrine of Belarus. They reflect the key changes in the global military and political situation, national views on maintaining international peace and stability, and ensuring the country’s military security. Provisions on public accord, the inviolability of people’s rule and the rule of law are enshrined. The delegates approved both documents unanimously, thereby laying the legal foundation for Belarus’ security.
The president expressed confidence that the adopted decisions would serve as a solid foundation for preserving the Belarusian people as a unique historical community and multiplying the national wealth created by entire generations: “Our Motherland has no one but us. Only we know what the future of Belarus should be like, what our country should be, how to make it stronger. Only we know this, and no one else! Yes, it has been difficult. And it will not get easier. But it will be interesting, for we have chosen a strong, sovereign, independent, peaceful Belarus. And in this difficult, contradictory time, we must stand firm! We must do it. The time has chosen us!”
2025. What will the delegates discuss?
On 18-19 December 2025, the second session of the 7th Belarusian People’s Congress will take place at the Palace of the Republic. The 2026-2030 Social and Economic Development Program of Belarus has been submitted for the delegates’ consideration. For the first time, personnel matters of the Constitutional and Supreme Courts will be reviewed at the session, a responsibility newly vested in the congress. The central event will be the president’s speech delivered to the Belarusian people and the Belarusian People’s Congress.
print version
make home page
add to bookmarks
