MINSK, 29 April (BelTA) - There will be no revision of history, glorification of Nazis and justification of extremism in Belarus, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko said during the parliamentary hearings on "Territorial Integrity and National Unity of Belarus. Historical and Legal Aspects of the Reunification of the Western Belarusian Lands within the BSSR,” BelTA has learned.
“Belarus has established itself as a strong independent state thanks to the fact that the political course proposed by the president was based on the ideas of historical continuity and social justice. Having preserved the best things that we have inherited from previous historical epochs, we have considerably increased our economic, technological and intellectual potential. Today the Republic of Belarus is a developed European state, able to stand up for itself. The current parliamentary hearings are a clear signal to all those who love speculating on historical issues. There are boundaries that no one is allowed to cross. There will be no revision of history, glorification of Nazis and their accomplices, justification of extremism in Belarus. This is our principled position,” said Vladimir Andreichenko.
MPs have already taken a number of steps in this direction, primarily in the legislation. “It is important to continue this work, explaining to people the meaning of legislative innovations designed to protect our society and state from destructive forces and external interference. The same principled position should also be taken in discussions held at international parliamentary platforms. It is necessary to fully use the tools of parliamentary diplomacy, firmly defending the national interests of the country. At the same time we must not equate individual foreign politicians and political forces with entire countries and nations. Our task is not to form an enemy image, but to defend the historical truth,” stressed Vladimir Andreichenko.
There are many examples in our history that unite peoples and are a source of common pride. “I am deeply convinced that we should focus on them when we refer to the past. There are many such examples in the Belarusian-Polish history. After all, from the early days of the war, many Belarusians fought shoulder to shoulder with the Poles against the Nazi invaders. In 1943, it was on the Belarusian soil where the 1st Polish Infantry Division named after Tadeusz Kosciuszko was engaged in action for the first time. In memory of this event a majestic memorial dedicated to the Soviet-Polish military brotherhood was erected near the village of Lenino, Mogilev Oblast. As part of the Soviet military formations and the Polish Army, Belarusians and Poles together went the difficult roads of war, liberated Belarus and Poland, stormed Berlin. In the post-war years, we have always been linked by strong industrial, educational and cultural ties. All these are examples on which more than one generation of Belarusians and Poles have been brought up,” said the chairman of the House of Representatives.
Vladimir Andreichenko is convinced that against this background, attempts to stir up the so-called Polish issue look especially ridiculous. “Belarusians, Russians, Poles, Jews, Ukrainians and Lithuanians have for centuries lived on this land as a big family that does not divide its children into native and adopted. From this point of view they are all Belarusians,” he stated.
The hearings will highlight international and geopolitical consequences of the reunification of the Belarusian people, history and modernity of Belarusian-Polish relations, ways of legislative consolidation of the bases of state activity on the preservation of historical heritage and other issues.
Among the participants are representatives of the Justice Ministry, the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Belarus, the National Academy of Sciences, the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research, the Belarusian Research Institute of Document Study and Archival Affairs, scientific organizations and higher educational institutions.
