Lukashenko Is Shaking With Fear

The dictator gave himself away with primitive statements.

In the arsenal of Lukashenko's insulting statements to Belarusians, a separate line is devoted to the words that "nobody needs us" outside our own country.

Poland, Germany and Lithuania "don't need" our students. As well as our doctors, who leave in search of a better life and respectful treatment.

And even political refugees, opponents of the regime, according to Lukashenko, "beg to go back," what to speak of "ordinary" Belarusians, who leave to earn money.

"I'm telling you directly: live in your own land. Nobody needs you there, these fugitives have proved it: children go to school - bullying, our children are being poisoned at school. Why did you go there? You have your own land, you should live on it. You should manage your land and cherish it," - Alexander Lukashenko, from his speech at the "Dazhynki" in November 2024.

These words, emanating disdain for Belarusians, emphasized diminution of their business and human qualities, have the opposite side, which eloquently characterizes their author.

Let's understand what is behind these attempts to foster a sense of inferiority in people. After all, this is how we can understand how the man who has been holding power in his hands for four decades sees our common future.

It is possible that fear lurks behind these words. Fear of open competition, in which conditions a 70-year-old ruler has very few chances. Actually, Lukashenko of the late 90s had no chances either. That is why he swept all the power under himself, destroyed his main opponents and turned the political field into an authoritarian desert.

When Belarusians go to the West to study and work, they inevitably face a different reality and acquire an experience dangerous for the regime. Including the experience of living in a competitive environment, when money has to be earned and not "received" at a loss-making factory. When initiative and creativity are valued rather than unconditional loyalty to the boss.

The ruler has never hidden the fact that the ideal for him is a primitive way of life in the spirit of the USSR: a powerless village that feeds the townspeople working in state-owned factories and plants.

And today, when he has finally stopped being shy in his choice of words, actually justifying the need to introduce serfdom, it becomes especially obvious.

"I will not lead my state after the civilized world!" - Lukashenko's prophetic statement at the dawn of his career was met with condescending laughter by many.

As well as the words that Belarusians do not need to eat a lot of meat.

But, in fact, even then he was laying the foundation of the system, the stability of which depended on balancing on the verge of providing basic needs. The main thing was that "people should be fed and clothed," the proverbial charka and shkvarka.

Beyond the words that "no one needs us" hides the fear of loss of control. When the years of unforeseen prosperity, caused by successful parasitizing on the high price of Russian oil, some semblance of a middle class began to emerge in Belarus, which became cramped within the framework of an unspoken social contract - loyalty in exchange for a modest but guaranteed salary.

"You are not welcome anywhere" is a wish-order: stay at home and keep your head down, be happy with what you have (what I give you). Hence, perhaps, all these primitive arguments about the country as a "piece of land".

"Nobody needs you" is a threat to future university graduates. After all, if all the initiatives of today's regime in the field of higher and specialized education are implemented, then years later many of them will really find themselves unclaimed outside the country.

Nobody needs us in the West. They have enough of such good things as Belarus without it. And you remember how I am loved in the West since those times. Nothing has changed here.

"We, living in the center of Europe, have to pursue such a policy to preserve the country, security, sovereignty, independence and stability, so that people could live normally. We cannot quarrel with either Russia or the West. Our destiny is such," Alexander Lukashenko at a meeting with the governor of Russia's Nizhny Novgorod Region Valery Shantsev, April 2017

Jealousy and fear of loneliness. They sounded in the words about "unnecessary" back in 2017, when Lukashenko quite successfully balanced between Brussels, Washington and Moscow.

Today he talks about how in the post-Soviet space "each one separately tumbling back and forth." And whether he is begging or ordering Putin's alliance partners: "We need to preserve everything we inherited from the USSR and what is still breathing today. And in no case should we look around. Nobody is waiting for us anywhere".

And also gives advice of the "ancient politician" to the citizens of Moldova, where his way is closed today, about the prospect of joining the European Union: "Don't try to join any unions, nobody is waiting for you anywhere".

And in this case the famous line from the Soviet comedy Gaidai: "Not us, but you" will be appropriate. After all, by and large, Lukashenko is not expected anywhere else but Russia. And this is the fate he wants to impose on all of us.

At a recent meeting with another Russian governor, he said that "Belarus is reorienting its diplomatic presence from Western countries to those states that want to develop cooperation, and this is primarily the Russian Federation."

Kiril Ivanov, "Salidarnasts"

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