Lukashenka’s Going To Leave

The key emotion after Lukashenka’s press-conference is shame for the independent journalists.

Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s latest press-conference broke all records related to time duration. The vicious get vicious, the sympathizers sympathize. However, it’s not that simple. I have various emotions. Vadzim Hihin, asking the question about the missing politicians, and no questions from the independent media, apart from Joseph Siaredzich… This is my first emotion. Colleagues, let us sympathize with one another – we have blended in…

They didn’t give me the floor; I missed my queue; I thought and then I changed my mind; I remembered but I forgot… I guess there will be some explanations. However, on the 23rd year of rule, Aliaksandr Lukashenka was asked about the missing politicians not by independent journalists, but by pro-government Vadzim Hihin. This is a fact. As for the independent media, this is a diagnosis.

My emotion is shame.

I am embarrassed. I am aggravated, bitter, and very-very sorry. I am very sorry that even the bar of professional courage fell so low. We became quiet, old, and accustomed. If the things go on like this – it’s the end…

My other emotion is astonishment. The press-secretary who boldly demonstrated she knew more than the president did – this is so… audacious. The officials murmured something, stumbling and trying to justify themselves – the Foreign Minister, the Vice-PM, the Minister for Agriculture…Meanwhile, the press-secretary daringly interfered into the state leader’s speech with clarifications, adding what he forgot to tell. She did it in an adventuresome, young way, making the fact that Lukashenka got older especially noticeable.

This was something new. Something innovative, unusual, bold. I would even say reckless. It looked as if a smart girl would prompt the correct answers to the experienced member of the Politbureau. It happened of course. But not in public.

No one would dare to do something like this before. I was astonished.

And now I proceed to the third emotion. Or rather, not emotion but my own emotional conclusion. I was listening to Mr. Lukashenka and suddenly realized he was going to leave. Well, maybe not going-going, I don’t think he has already packed his things to move out of the working office. But he is seriously thinking about it.

This time he wasn’t noticed in making passionate speeches and promises, and references like “it’s for the people to decide”. However…

He casually noted “I am a walk-away person, I don’t have much time”. He said that the deputies would probably vote for a small house for him after retirement. Not a big one. He said it was important to make it all in a peaceful and civilized way, as the first president makes a precedent for all the following ones. He said “I was a president for more than twenty years, and what have I seen?” …

I can’t quote him word-by-word, as I didn’t make notes, but the overall meaning was like this.

It wasn’t a demonstrative, mannered, previously prepared sense, it was a sort of an inner feeling which suddenly made its way to the surface, like a flash. It’s not always appropriate or timely, it’s always sudden and unexpected.

Of course you can throw stones at me. Like, “Never!”, “There’s no way he leaves by himself!”, “He’s not the kind of person to give up the power voluntarily!” I thought so, too.

Until yesterday.

Sviatlana Kalinkina, Belarusian Partisan