News & Events in Belarus

Lukashenko presents awards to Belarus’ outstanding agrarians

MINSK, 11 November (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko presented state awards to the best performers of the agribusiness complex. The solemn ceremony took place in the Palace of Independence on 11 November ahead of Agriculture and Processing Industry Workers’ Day, BelTA has learned.

To honor outstanding agrarians is a tradition of many years that began at the dawn of the country’s independence, the head of state said.

The president congratulated everyone on the upcoming professional holiday and wished them new labor accomplishments: high milk yields and weight gains, bountiful crops. As the most important thing he wished them good health and good mood in their families, so that the people would have a place to return to with pleasure after a hard day at work. “We know how to work. The rest is in our hands. If we are healthy, we will accomplish everything. And may you always have good weather in your homes and beyond. I wish you patience. May you give birth to children as a new generation of Belarusian rural dwellers, Belarusian agrarians,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

In his opinion, work in agriculture, on the native soil is the most valuable and interesting one. The head of state recalls with fondness the time when he worked and lived in the countryside. “Don’t be so keen to go to cities,” the president offered advice. “Appreciate this time and remember as peasants that they don’t need us anywhere else.”

“In this day and age if you achieve success with your own efforts, then the god will help you. And you will definitely obtain what you want,” Aleksandr Lukashenko went on saying. “If you stop trying, you will not achieve anything in this life. You will keep walking and moaning that the authorities have not sown your vegetables, have not mowed your lawn, have not removed the shrubs, have not made firewood… You will keep walking and moaning.”

The president stressed that certainly, Belarus is a people-first state but it does not mean that support will be granted to just anyone. “We will not help everyone and we should not help because it encourages sponging,” Aleksandr Lukashenko explained. It is necessary to follow the example of primarily the people like those, who attended the state award ceremony.

“Know this: the country is proud of you and I am above all,” the head of state told those present. “You see how much attention I pay to the countryside, to agriculture. And I am proud of your response to these efforts. I can say in any city that you are great people, that you are heroes and that we divert so much attention and spend considerable resources to make sure you stay like that.”

In conclusion of the ceremony on behalf of Belarus’ cereal farmers Agriculture and Food Minister Yuri Gorlov presented a round loaf of bread from this year’s harvest to the head of state as a symbol of food security.

On behalf of all the agricultural workers the minister thanked the president for the trust, support, and an invaluable contribution to the development of the economy branch. “The year 2025 has indeed been complicated as you’ve correctly noted. This year has been a challenge for our agrarians. But we have endured it and persevered. All of our agricultural workers share your belief that it is better to harvest crops that to fight in a war. As they go out into the field every day, as they work at milk-processing enterprises, our people know that our country, our president stand behind them,” Yuri Gorlov stressed.

In turn, Aleksandr Lukashenko once again congratulated everyone on the holiday, wished them good health and success. “The key thing is kids. You must agree that if everything is good with the kids, then it will be good for us as well,” he said.

The awardees included Director General of OAO Agrokombinat Dzerzhinsky Vladimir Lukyanov and Tatyana Struk, Director of OAO Otor in Chechersk District. They were awarded the Order of Labor Glory.

The Order of Honor was bestowed upon Gelena Dremo, an operator of livestock complexes and mechanized farms at the commercial dairy farm Germanishki of the Gudogai agricultural production company in Ostrovets District; Nikolai Kurzenkov, Director of OAO Khotimsk Linen Mill; Galina Legkaya, a machine milking operator at the Rassvet agricultural company named after K.P. Orlovsky in Kirovsk District; Vasily Moroz, a tractor driver-machine operator at the Kokhanovichi agricultural production company in Verkhnedvinsk District; Vladimir Pobegailo, a driver at OAO Put Novy company in Lyakhovichi District.

The Honored Worker of Agriculture of the Republic of Belarus title was bestowed upon Ivan Golovenko, chief agronomist of the Progress-Vertilishki agricultural company in Grodno District; Tatyana Dolgonosova, an operator of poultry farms and mechanized farms at Broiler Shop No.1 of ZAO Servolux Agro in Mogilev District; Vladimir Lyubushak, Director of OAO Svyataya Volya in Ivatsevichi District; Andrei Novikov, a tractor driver-machine operator of OAO Tikhinichi in Rogachev District; Vyacheslav Struk, head of the livestock department at the Brilevo agricultural company in Gomel District.

Agribusiness workers were also awarded the Medal for Labor Merits and presidential commendations.

In addition to awards on this solemn day the top agricultural performers were gifted a tour of the Palace of Independence. The spacious halls did not leave the guests unmoved. Moreover, it was the first visit to the palace for many of them. It is not every day that people get an opportunity to see the halls and the offices where the most important and fateful decisions for the country are getting made.

Galina Legkaya, a machine milking operator at OAO Rassvet named after K.P. Orlovsky in Kirovsk District, was impressed by the tour of the palace. The woman has been working at the enterprise for over 20 years. In recognition of many years of her service and the accomplishment of high results the head of state bestowed the Order of Honor upon Galina Legkaya.

“Certainly, I have not secured high performance indicators of the agricultural enterprise on my own. The entire worker collective did it. We always support each other and cover for each other if necessary. The colleagues and my relatives felt joy when they heard the news I would get this award. And I am grateful for the support,” Galina Legkaya admitted.

By the way, the president visited the agricultural enterprise OAO Rassvet named after K.P. Orlovsky in August. Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered about the state of affairs at the enterprise, examined the head of the enterprise about agricultural performance in detail, and remarked that the state of affairs was quite good.

“It is pleasant that the president paid attention to our enterprise. I think we will only continue doing better. I know the enterprise intends to build a new complex, a greenhouse. This is why everything will be okay,” Galina Legkaya is convinced.

Her colleague Natalya Romanchuk received a presidential commendation. The woman has been working as a machine milking operator at the dairy farm Dubovtsy of the agricultural enterprise Plemzavod Ross since 2018. She has a more impressive record of working in agriculture: over 30 years.

“I was born in Lithuania but in 1992 my parents and I moved to Belarus. I went to an agricultural vocational school in Pinsk. After that I worked for a long time in a meat shop. Seven years ago I transferred to the farm and I don’t regret it,” Natalya Romanchuk said.

According to the woman, she feels absolutely no shame about her job. “When they ask me what I do for a living, I say: ‘Do you want it simple or pretty? Simply put, I am a milkmaid. Pretty put, I am a machine milking operator’,” she added with a smile.

The tour of the palace did not leave her unmoved: “I’d seen these halls only on television before. When you see it live, then the impressions are certainly totally different. It is a pity I couldn’t bring my son here although he had been imploring me to,” Natalya Romanchuk said.

Another veteran of agriculture – Vasily Moroz – was awarded the Order of Honor by the president. The man works as a machine operator at the Kokhanovichi agricultural production company in Verkhnedvinsk District. Over the course of nearly 40 years of his work Vasily Moroz has had the chance to drive various machines and vehicles including tractors and forage harvesters.

“I was born and grew up in a village. Father was a tractor driver his entire life. Mother was a veterinarian. So, I followed in their footsteps and I don’t regret it,” Vasily Moroz said.

When asked how high performance in his line of work can be achieved, the man gave a simple answer: “You have to pay attention to hardware. You have to love it. If you don’t take good care of the vehicle and don’t keep it in good order, then the work will not be smooth.”