MINSK, 11 February (BelTA) - The decisions of the Belarusian People's Congress will not be spontaneous and surprising as a lot of preparatory work was carried out in the run-up to the forum, including in the format of dialogue platforms, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he addressed the 6th Belarusian People's Congress in Minsk on 11 February, BelTA has learned.
The head of state noted that for the sixth time in the sovereign history of the country the government has turned directly to the people to discuss and take consolidated decisions on the further development of the country and society. “Today, delegates from all over Belarus, representatives of various professions and social groups have gathered here. Behind each of you are your constituents; enterprises, public organizations. These are millions of people who have given you their voice to discuss and make big decisions for the future of our Belarus. These decisions will not be spontaneous and surprising for us and for society," the president said. He recalled that preparations for the congress were several months long. People's opinions and concerns were studied; dialogue platforms were actively working in the regions. "We have not hidden anything, we have something to discuss today," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The priority topic for the discussion, according to the president, is economy, achievements and possible shortcomings. "The main thing is the reserves we can tap into and the concrete proposals for further development," the head of state said.
"How do we move forward amid the pandemic and external pressure? What measures should we take to ensure economic growth and decent standards of living for people with social support?” he continued. “This is the basis of our economic model, the essence of the Belarusian welfare state. Suggestions and ideas can be any. Not only those that we, the leadership of the country and the government, offer. I just ask one thing, and you know it well. I repeat: everything must be open and feasible, we have no one to be afraid of."
The second important topic for discussion is social and political development, the role of citizens in the political life of the country and the possibility of amending the basic law. "Another topic is the distribution of power, strengthening the role of local government and self-government. We must bring decision-making centers as close to people as possible, to ensure continuous effective feedback between the government and the population. There should be no artificial constructions because then we will have the opposite effect of such restructuring," the Belarusian leader is convinced.
The president suggested analyzing the geopolitical situation in which the country finds itself as the third topic of the forum.
The fourth block of issues requiring close attention is the saving of values and traditions that allow Belarusians to remain a nation. "We need to devote time to education and culture, the protection of historical memory. In one way or another they determine one of the main areas of state policy - the preservation of the continuity of generations. We can't lose young people. We must hand the country over into reliable hands. Therefore, involving young people in creative activities, ensuring their creative and intellectual development are most important issues for us," the head of state stressed. He also cited the information sovereignty as one of the important topics for discussion at the congress.
"We must consider all the pressing issues and come up with solutions that will satisfy the needs of society. As a result, all Belarusians should see that their opinions are taken into account. This is the essence of the Belarusian democracy," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
