MINSK, 23 November (BelTA) – Order in Minsk will be restored. It is what governments are for. It is time for those who disagree with it to calm down. Aleksandr Barsukov, Aide to the President – Inspector for Minsk, made the statement on the air of the Belarusian TV channel STV, BelTA has learned.
“People are starting to wonder what's next. What will we come to?” the official said.
In the 1980s Aleksandr Barsukov was part of a squad deployed to maintain public order at mountain passes in Nagorno-Karabakh. The military were instructed to prevent serious clashes between civilians. In his opinion, today's situation has demonstrated how easily a conflict can be started and how difficult it is to calm things down later on. “Everything spiraled out of control within a short period of time. An interethnic conflict began. People had become relatives and their relations had been intertwined but these ties were disrupted then,” Aleksandr Barsukov said while talking about events abroad. He referred to Ukraine as an example and urged people to learn from mistakes of others instead of their own.
Aleksandr Barsukov also challenged the democratic character of European practices. “It is easy to judge and evaluate things from the outside. Take a look at yourselves, please,” he advised.
Aleksandr Barsukov believes that suggestions to ban citizens from filming police officers at work are a good idea. Such suggestions have been made in Europe as well. “I think it is right. People are at work. They are civil servants. There is no state without police. I am referring to France. Creating the image of a people's enemy is wrong,” he said.
“You will be afraid to go out [without police]. Are you going to return to the old times, to the 1990s?” Aleksandr Barsukov said to describe possible alternatives. Speaking about those recently arrested for participating in authorized rallies in Minsk, he noted that 68 of them had been previously on trial. “Do you want to return to the chaos of the 1990s?” he wondered.
Aleksandr Barsukov advised young Belarusians to talk to their parents about those difficult times. He suggested young Belarusians should spend less time online and trust their own eyes more. “Things are calm and peaceful. Yes, a group of 700-800 people gathered up somewhere and went for a walk. That's it. If you go away from this street, you will see calm. People work, enterprises work, students study, and streets are in good order,” he said.
Aleksandr Barsukov said that Minsk residents had used various channels to ask the authorities to restore order in the city. “The head of state did the right thing when he ordered to restore order within one week,” he added. “If they don't understand kindness, the authorities will do what an authority must.”
In conclusion Aleksandr Barsukov promised to do everything in his power not to cast a gloom on the forthcoming holiday – New Year's Eve.
