MINSK, 19 November (BelTA) – As Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko appointed Anatoly Markevich Culture Minister, the head of state explained his unconventional decision to appoint someone from a different sphere of activities to this post, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the decision had been unconventional for him. “It is probably the first time I've abandoned the principle of appointing a professional from an appropriate circle to this position,” he said. “Why does it look like the appointment of an outsider? I respond to needs of cultural workers. Many of them have expressed their desire to see a person from the outside in this position, they've said let's try to appoint a person from outside our circle.”
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, he took to heart the opinion that a manager should be put in charge of the Culture Ministry. “He knows nobody. Every person is equal to him but he understands that culture and people of culture are the super elite of our society,” the Belarusian leader said.
The fact that Anatoly Markevich has worked a long time in executive positions in municipal authorities was one of the arguments in favor of his appointment. Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked: “I thought he knows well what culture is all about because he has worked as the head of a district administration and had to take care of culture for a long period of time. He was also trained as a pedagogue. A pedagogue is a person that can work in any position,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.
The head of state drew attention to the responsibility the new culture minister bears and to the important tasks he faces, including the resolution of the situation in the Yanka Kupala National Academic Theater.
“Let's talk about the matter of the Yanka Kupala theater as an example. Everything will go away. You and I will go, will lose our positions of power and will die but this disgusting page will stay for the entire life. A national theater! I am not sure whether you remember when your father worked [Vladimir Ryzhenkov is the father of First Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration Maksim Ryzhenkov], we even often discussed this problem: a theater became a toilet, there was a toilet just outside the presidential administration,” Aleksandr Lukashenko reminded. “I thought: it is impossible for a toilet to exist, for the Yanka Kupala theater to become a toilet in the very center of Minsk under the oversight of the previous governments. As a calm person, who is no nationalist but a complete internationalist, I decided to fix the situation because the national theater is part of the country's image. I did everything to make the theater look good. It was my dream. I kept an eye on personnel appointments. I wanted normal people, young people to start working in the theater.”
“One scoundrel swore he wanted to get a job in the theater so much. He swore he would stay faithful to the country, to the fatherland and the president. What happened then? What happened to this theater company?” Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, a number of employees decided to exploit the current situation with street protests in Belarus and express their attitudes. “Did [the theater's former director Pavel] Latushko have different beliefs before that? Did he change his views within one week? He had lived for half his life already. If 20-year-olds changed their beliefs, it would mean they have been fooled. They [representatives of the opposition movement] say it themselves that Latushko had been part of the system and had served the ‘dictator' for decades. Did he develop new views overnight? Did his mom teach him that? No, this rot set in a long time ago. Unfortunately, it turns out that many cultural workers and the rest had the same rot. It is the root of the problem,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president drew attention to the haste some cultural workers and representatives of the Yanka Kupala theater demonstrated. “So, okay, you oppose violence, you oppose something else, but bear with me, large things look right from afar, you will see what the situation is all about. But no, they came out together with those protesters on the same day. It means they had had their reasons for a long time,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “This is why they shouldn't try to deceive us into thinking it was a response to some violence. You [representatives of the sphere of culture] should demonstrate restraint, you are the face of the nation after all.”
“What I mean is we will go away while this disgrace will remain part of history of the Belarusian nation. It will not be forgotten. What is going on in Minsk will not be forgotten either,” Aleksandr Lukashenko continued. “Thank god, only in Minsk and thank god, only on Sundays. As they browse the Internet, everyone thinks that our country is upside down. Even our closest neighbors, Russians, think and wonder what is going on over here. Nothing is happening despite what Poles, Lithuanians or Ukrainians, politicians may desire.” The president stressed he was referring to politicians in those countries instead of ordinary citizens, most of whom look favorably on Belarus and Belarusians.
Addressing the new culture minister, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that Anatoly Markevich is a Pole by nationality. “Maybe it is for the best in this situation. We are genuine internationalists despite our relations [with Poland],” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The head of state stressed that a patriot, who loves his country, who is capable of reducing the sphere of culture to order, and, figuratively speaking, restore its true face, should be in charge of the sphere of culture. “It should definitely be the face of the nation. If we cannot do it, it will be a disgrace, a stain on our generation,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stated. “Culture should serve people. It should be the embodiment of our state – the first sovereign and independent state in our history.”
