Stanislau Shushkevich: Red Star on Bykau Monument Is Nonsense

Design of the monument, proposed by pro-Government Union of Writers is the same blasphemy as allegations of Bykau’s poetry.

Vasil Bykau monument with a red star may be installed in Minsk. The model of the monument is ready. Sculptor is Aliaksandr Batvinenak and architect Armen Sardarau.

In his interview to Radio Svaboda former Chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich assessed the initiative of Mikalai Charhinets to install the monument to Vasil Bykau.

“It’s disgusting when such person like Charhinets plays the role of Bykau’s friend. But it’s better have a small fish than an empty dish. Or his conscience pricks him…But it is hardly possible. I will be glad, if I am wrong.

I will be really happy to hear and see that something has really changed after the triumph of Svetlana Alexievich and the Belarusian culture. Charhinets will stay the same even covered with flowers. It is no sense to expect something extraordinary from such people. And what about a red star… It is possible to interpret Bykau with a red star. But it is not the very sense. Moreover, it’s useless to make Charhinets interpret it properly. You know, as soon as our “nation-wide elected” stated he’d learned from Bykau’s poetry, then Charhinets stated that Bykau had showed him his poetry, but hadn’t had them printed. How then the “nation-wide elected” could see them? That was the way to soap down Lukashenka. It is another trick. There is no sense to seek conscience or true patriotism in Charhinets. Henadz Buraukin once said that Charhinets was the best writer among police officer, and the best police officer among writers.

I am for the monument. But everything should be done properly. There is a tender usually announced in civilized countries. But here Charhinets and his rotten Union of Writers need to pay attention to themselves. It is an anti-Belarusian union. It is propaganda of a rotten approach towards memory of a great person. It is done with no discussion,” the first Head of independent Belarus said.