News & Events in Belarus
Lukashenko's New Year's addresses over years: What's changed and what hasn't
Aleksandr Lukashenko, 2022
We can trace the history of the independent Belarusian state through Aleksandr Lukashenko's New Year's addresses. In the 1990s, Belarusians were busy working at factories, farms and institutions laying the foundation for the country's economic growth. In the 2000s, despite pressure and false prophecies, Belarus not only kept the economy going but also entered the global IT elite by creating the SKIF supercomputer. The 2010s marked the launch of the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant and the roll-out of BelAZ's 450-tonne rock hauler. Unfortunately, the issues of peace and security dominated the agenda during those years too...
By the way, the word ‘peace' and its derivatives are the most common in the New Year's addresses of the head of state. Why? Let's try to answer this question. In this episode of BelTA's Youtube project “After the Fact” Lukashenko's Decisions” we will tell you which presidential powers Aleksandr Lukashenko called the most pleasant and responsible. Why does the president sound unfestive on New Year's Eve sometimes? What wish did the head of state make at midnight together with all Belarusians?
Belarus in the 1990s
We have talked about the 1990s in Belarus in many episodes as we narrated the history of Belarusian enterprises. It's just that great things must be seen at a distance as the great poet Esenin put it once. Now we realize the importance of that period and the decisions that were made at the highest level. Look: this is the first issue of the Sovetskaya Byelorussia newspaper in 1996. Aleksandr Lukashenko named peace on the Belarusian land as the main achievement of that period and urged to preserve it for the sake of future generations. Back then the head of state proposed to declare the following year the Year of National Accord and Creation. Even then, the president promised the military that they would not be sent to fight foreign wars. He sticks to the promise.
But let's go back to the 1990s. Discussing the president's New Year's address people expressed concerns over most mundane problem - the worn-out and small fleet of passenger vehicles.It was quite a disaster according to mass media reports. Look at the streets of Minsk now. Great things are seen at a distance indeed.
Addressing his compatriots on the New Year's Eve 2020, Aleksandr Lukashenko always stresses: "No one but us will make Belarus a beautiful and comfortable place to live.” The head of state called on Belarusians to work hard to make their communities a better place.
"No one will build a home for us. No international funds will give us pensions and salaries. No humanitarian organizations will clothe or feed people. Belarusians can achieve the international prestige, the prosperity in one way - by realizing themselves as a nation, by solving our problems by our own efforts," the Belarusian leader said.
In fact, during those years, the pace of housing construction in Belarus picked up steam, the network of hospitals and clinics expanded, new factories were built and social welfare infrastructure was developed. Belarusians had low salaries, pensions and allowances. Not every family was satisfied with their income. But these difficulties were temporary, and the problems were surmountable, the president assured then.
Belarus' foreign policy
In foreign policy, Belarus grew stronger as a sovereign state that pursued an independent policy. Many in the West and also in the East were not happy about this. But Belarusians could not give up on their national interests. "We know how to live in our own house and how to make it better. At the same time we have deep respect for all our neighbors. We have never threatened anyone. We have never had any territorial or other claims. Our policy will remain as such for many years ahead, Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
On the eve of 2000, the head of state called the union with Russia a historical necessity. ”This is not about politics. This is about the basis for further economic and spiritual development of the two countries and peoples,” the president emphasized. Aleksandr Lukashenko has never retracted his words, no matter what happened in relations between the countries and around them.
One thing is indisputable today, namely the sovereignty of Belarus
"Today, the question 'who are you?' will no longer be followed by a vague 'we are local'. But by the proud "We are Belarusians". With all the disputes and diversity of opinions, one thing is indisputable today - the sovereignty of Belarus. No matter what some irresponsible politicians say today, we are not going to sell our sovereignty to either the West or the East. Those who say so care only about the next elections, while we care about the next generations,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said in the New Year's address on the eve of 2001.
The turn of the millennium was marked not only by the achievements of mankind, but also by new challenges - conflicts and wars. Therefore, there was a lot of geopolitics in the New Year's address of the president. Aleksandr Lukashenko said: "Belarus does not aspire to a geopolitical role. However, the role of the country is great and is determined by the greatness and fortitude of the Belarusian people. We do not impose our will on anyone, but we do not need foreign lecturing either. We will always appreciate good advice and concrete help."
Amidst confrontations in different parts of the world, Belarus entered the new millennium with a strong forward-looking government and a dynamic economy capable of providing the state with everything it needed. In the early 2000s, Belarus finally began to crop good harvests. It stopped importing grain and was in position to share it with others. Two decades later, Belarus began to export food worth billions of dollars.
Belarusians managed to maintain their food security on their own. Tractors, new combine harvesters, vehicles, modern technologies - all this came with hard work. Two decades later, Belarus began to export food worth billions of dollars.
Indeed, back then the government was criticized for slow progress in carrying out market reforms. The president would respond: “We want civilized economic reforms, not a grabfest. Today's government upholds only those reforms that will give people jobs and decent salaries.”
What did the president admit in his New Year's address?
Belarusians lived holding their heads high in 2003, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted in his New Year's address.
“In a world rocked by wars and terror, we have managed to preserve harmony and calm in our native land. This is the underlying condition for the prosperity of our state and each of us. We have lived this year holding our heads high. We have something to be proud of. Having developed the SKIF supercomputer, our country entered the global IT elite. Belarus is among the world's space powers. In the near future we will have our own artificial satellite. We have completed the gasification of Polesie. The promise made by the Soviet leadership thirty years ago has been fulfilled within just a few years. By today two million apartments have been provided with eco-friendly fuel,” the head of state remarked.
Aleksandr Lukashenko has a special attitude towards New Year's addresses.
This presidential duty is not written down anywhere, but the head of state calls it one of the most pleasant and responsible for him. The New Year's speech is not just a routine for the president. Of course, one could make a show of it with the clinking of glasses, but the Belarusian leader likes to keep things simple while talking to Belarusians.
Why does the president raise serious and complicated topics in his New Year's addresses? In 2006 the president gave an answer to this question. Addressing his compatriots, he emphasized that no one will take care of our state and people except ourselves. Everything depends on people's hard work, creativity, unity, love for Fatherland and willingness to defend it.
“We must learn to appreciate the peace, stability and confidence in the future that people in many countries can only dream of. And finally, we must defend our national interests the way our ancestors did in the most difficult moments in our history. Dear friends! Someone might think that I should not be saying it as it will ruin the festive mood. But I have always spoken with you openly and honestly in any situation. We have a difficult path ahead. This will be a bumpy road. We must be prepared for making difficult and extraordinary decisions. Those who want to get their hands on the country's best assets nearly for free will keep trying to break us economically and politically,” Aleksandr Lukashenko warned.
Belarus responded to sanctions by launching new companies
The mid-2000s was a difficult period for Belarus. In order to divert attention from its own problems the West suddenly became preoccupied with the situation in Belarus, disregarding the fact that it is a sovereign European state. The rise in energy prices put the Belarusian economy to the test. Yet, those who expected and wanted Belarus to collapse did not take into account an important thing. Belarusians have grown into a united, energetic, and strong nation Aleksandr Lukashenko noted. After gaining independence, the fledgling republic overcame unimaginable difficulties, matured and is now ready to defend its own path of development by all means.
24 new production facilities opened in Belarus in a very difficult year of 2007. Among them are unique facilities to make newsprint, seamless pipes, railroad cars, household appliances, the fourth generation diesel engine and biofuels. For the first time, Belarusian oil was produced on the American continent. Belarusian brands began to go international. The birth rate reached the planned figures ahead of the end of the five-year plan. Belarusians were criticized for investing in rural communities and agriculture. But when the food crisis struck, countries with a high level of food self-sufficiency fared much better.
Belarusians would respond to criticism saying ironically (it's just so like us): “But we have stability.” French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu once said: “Happy is the nation that lives a boring and colorless life.” He meant a situation when people live without shocks, have a job and a good salary and are confident about their future. You realize this particularly acutely when news of wars, disasters and victims come daily from various parts of the world.
The most common word in Lukashenko's New Year's addresses
The following years were a mixed bag for the country. It had to deal with the aftermath of the global crisis and simultaneously think about the future. In 2013, the population started growing for the first time since 1990. A very ambitious project was launched - the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. Yet, the events of 2014, the Ukrainian crisis, prompted the country to pay more attention to peace and security. We have already said that ‘peace' is the most frequent word in New Year's addresses of the head of state. And it was the highlight of the presidential address in 2014/2015.
“Genuine values are sometimes taken for granted. Often people begin to appreciate them only when they lose them irrevocably. The fundamental value we should be grateful for is peace. Peace in our families, in our country, in relationships between people. The past year has suddenly and tragically proven to us the true value of peace. It showed us all that everyday problems slip into the background and seem small and insignificant when shells explode, bullets whistle and blood flows. There is nothing more precious than human life. And no right is more important than the right to life. We need to understand and remember what true peace is based on and threatens it the most,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
True peace rests on kindness, tolerance and harmony between people, the president emphasized. This is also the readiness to forgive others' mistakes. This is the ability to sacrifice one's own interests.
“We have seen where internal strife, hatred and intolerance lead to. Catchy slogans that sow enmity are one step away from social discord. Social discord is one step away from sweeping hatred. It is one step away from war. If people forget the value of peace and accord, they take all these three steps in an instant. Seven decades ago we paid for peace with millions of human lives. Belarusians know the price of peace and value it,” the Belarusian leader said.
Peace is life, development and prosperity. Aleksandr Lukashenko's main wish on that New Year's Eve was peace - peace of mind, family peace, and peace inside the country.
2014 also brought a lot of joy to hospitable Belarusians as the country welcomed numerous countries to the IIHF World Championship. Tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world got a chance to discover Belarus - a cozy, beautiful, and well-maintained country, which is home to responsive, friendly and kind people.
In the following years Belarus was in the epicenter of world geopolitical events, as it put forward peace initiatives. The country was repeatedly dubbed in the international media as an “island of stability and security”. In those years, Aleksandr Lukashenko started appealing to patriotic feelings of young Belarusians.
“Our youth, who are the future of our country, are enjoying this festive time with us. The way Belarus will be tomorrow depends on every one of us. You should preserve and multiply what we have created. Today the country especially needs your intellect and energy. Please remember: home is the place where you are loved and cared for,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said on 31 December 2018.
What did Lukashenko say about 2020
Aleksandr Lukashenko called 2020 an eventful year. It made Belarusians look for answers to the perennial questions: “Who are we?”, “What will happen to us and our children?”, “Where are we going?” and “What do we want?” The challenges the country and the whole world faced were so enormous that we suddenly wanted to go back. At least for a minute. Belarus became a nuclear nation, reached outer space, launched the production of automobiles and electric cars, opened a biotechnology company and a missile production facility, became an IT hub. Belarusian doctors showed their professionalism in the fight against serious diseases.
“Some of us, having faced the challenges of the leap year, would like to go back to what Belarus was a year ago. Of course, I am glad that you have appreciated our achievements, but we will not be able to travel back in time. We do not have time to go back and to tread this path once again. We will definitely create the Belarus of the future, and it will be better than it is now. For this purpose, we need to bid farewell to the year 2020 and to remember its lessons. All of us, who see the world differently, should realize that our common value is our land in the center of Europe. This is what we have. In order to preserve this land for our children, let us turn this page and start writing a new chapter of the independent Belarus together. Let us make 2021 the year of people's unity. Let us live by our wits and create our legacy with our own hands. We are a smart, tolerant and forward-looking nation. We care and love like no one else! If we want to be a success, we will be!” Aleksandr Lukashenko said in 2020.
We all know very well what the last few years have been like. We all remember the difficulties we and our neighbors faced. We also remember joyful moments, our new victories and achievements. We will remember the time as uneasy, contradictory, and sometimes tense. The most important thing however is that those years were peaceful for Belarusians.
Despite all the challenges, Belarus kept manufacturing new products and tapped into new markets. “They closed borders to us. We instead rediscovered our beloved Belarus,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. Many Belarusians took a fresh look at their country and saw the beauty of nature, the mystery of the historical past, the treasures of national culture and traditions. They learned more about their native land and became prouder of their country. Belarusians responded with trust and friendship to all those who decided to fence off. Hundreds of thousands of EU citizens were able to visit Belarus without visas and obstacles.
“This year we have seen how small our huge world is. A conflict in one country may engulf the whole planet. I know that most of you want to know what will happen next. Will Belarus remain an island of security? I am sure this is going to be your main wish at midnight. The answer is simple: everything in our life will depend on each of us. If we want to live in peace and security, we must first of all respect and appreciate the work of people in uniform, educate our children to be true patriots and law-abiding citizens. If we want to live in peace and prosperity, we must work hard, be honest and responsible. If we want to live in a free and independent state, we must preserve and protect historical memory, spiritual values and original traditions,” the Belarusian leader's message on New Year's Eve is as relevant as ever.
We are approaching another New Year. Perhaps this is our most long-awaited moment this year. What will 2024 be like? Not an easy one, this is for sure. Let us make a wish that everything we have planned will definitely come true.
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