Sergeyenko: Defending the Fatherland is every citizen’s duty

MINSK, 23 February (BelTA) - Defense of the Fatherland is not only a military duty, it is the civic position of every individual, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Igor Sergeyenko said in the Oval Hall of the Government House during a ceremony titled “There Is Such a Profession: To Defend the Motherland”, celebrating to the Day of Fatherland Defenders and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus on 23 February, BelTA has learned.

“Defense of the Fatherland is not only a military duty. It is the civic position of each of us. It is the achievements of scientists creating advanced technologies, workers powering industry, farmers growing grain, educators raising the younger generation, and all those who, through their labor, strengthen the sovereignty of our country,” said Igor Sergeyenko.

The Day of Fatherland Defenders and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus is one of the country’s main holidays, the speaker said. This holiday has become truly national; it is celebrated in every Belarusian family. More and more young Belarusians proudly wear military uniform, join military-patriotic clubs, and honor the memory of heroes.

Parliament pays special attention to strengthening the country’s defense capability. “We are consistently improving the legislative framework in national security, ensuring social protection for military personnel and veterans, implementing programs for the patriotic education of youth, and defending our historical truth at various levels,” the chairman of the House of Representatives said.

The speaker drew attention to the fact that this holiday continues to be a symbol of valor and courage for many foreign countries. This is confirmed by the greetings received by the House of Representatives from foreign colleagues.

“I want to note that this time there were probably twice as many greetings as last year. This shows that this holiday is alive and will continue to live as long as we value and preserve it,” Igor Sergeyenko expressed confidence.

Speaking about the pages of history, he referred to the heroic struggle against Nazi Germany, which ended with the Great Victory. For their courage and heroism during the Great Patriotic War, 74 Belarusians and natives of Belarus became full holders of the Order of Glory, and more than 470 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Relics are carefully preserved in the families of deceased veterans.

Igor Sergeyenko also noted that deputies of the first convocation of the Supreme Council of the BSSR took an active part in the fight against the fascists, with every fifth of them not returning from the war. He pointed out that their names are immortalized on memorial plaques in the lobby of the Oval Hall.

“Today, many in the West would like to rewrite history, to tailor it to their own patterns. However, the fact that Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has repeatedly emphasized remains a fact: ‘It was those people and that Red Army who helped us survive and establish ourselves as a nation. This is an indisputable truth that we must preserve and pass on to future generations’,” the speaker stressed.

In his speech, Igor Sergeyenko also touched upon the page of history involving the fulfillment of international duty in Afghanistan (1979-1989). Nearly 30,000 fellow citizens took part in the combat operations in Afghanistan. The chairman of the House of Representatives noted that in all convocations of the House of Representatives, there have been deputies who were veterans of the Afghan war.

“The Armed Forces of sovereign Belarus became the successor to the combat traditions of the Belarusian Military District,” the speaker added. “Today, it is a professional, well-equipped army capable of reliably ensuring the security of the state. Our servicemen honorably fulfill their duty: they improve combat training, participate in international exercises, and contribute to strengthening allied relations.”

Before the start of the ceremonial meeting, its participants in the foyer of the Oval Hall got familiar with a thematic exhibition organized with the support of the Presidential Library of the Republic of Belarus and the Museum of the History of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus.

Photos by Kristina Aksyonova