Be glorious, our Fatherland

July 3 is the independence day according to Lukashenka's calendar.

The holiday that hasn't become a holiday either in cities or in the countryside. There's not even a hint it can challenge the popularity of Easter, New Year's Day or at least March 8.

The holiday with no prospects is being imposed and promoted through telephoned telegrams, meetings with presidium, school assemblies, parades, fireworks, etc.

The desire to please the state's general line generates bizarre initiatives. In Slutsk, directors of educational and agricultural institutions as well as other officials received an instruction to gather in front of the local administration at 23:50 on July 3. Why and why so late?

It turns out that they are supposed to sing the national anthem. Be glorious, our Fatherland! Thank you, comrade Lukashenka, for the absence of war in Slutsk!

I doubt the singers will suddenly begin to love the holiday at midnight. But I'd like to listen to this involuntary choral singing.

Anatol Liabedzka, exclusively for charter97.org