Mikalay Khalezin: “Musicians’ Actions are Immoral”

“Frankly speaking, I couldn’t believe this news at first. To take part in negotiations with the regime right after a concert was banned is immoral,” told in an interview to the Charter’97 press-center the head of the Free Theatre Mikalay Khalezin, commenting on the yesterday’s meeting of Belarusian rock musicians with the deputy head of Lukashenka’s administration, and their refusal to play at opposition rallies in exchange for the state support.

“It means only one thing. They ask the authorities to allow them to create. Undoubtedly, it is one of the weakest actions of the representatives of counterculture. The interest to Belarusian counterculture has been achieved in Europe for the first time. It was based on the synthesis of moral position and high professional level. If we remember recent history, the denial of workers of culture to cooperate with the authorities comes to one’s mind. Such things happened in Poland, in the Czech Republic. And the situation is opposite now here – while even official workers of culture are getting disillusioned with the regime, representatives of the counterculture are starting to be on intimate terms with the regime. I’m afraid that it would not expand their base of popularity, but repel those for whom these groups have been an example not only in their creative work, but in morality of their position,” Khalezin believes.

Musicians their actions justify their actions by the fact that they need to live and earn money somehow. Khalezin’s comment on that was the following: