Watch the news item starting at 05:19 (in the Belarusian language)
January 24 was a public outreach day in all Belarusian schools; the topics have been developed by the Ministry of Education. The students were expected to discuss hockey tournaments with the participation of president Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his youngest son Mikalai.
It may seem that the personality cult was condemned at the 20th Congress of the CPSU more than 60 years ago, when Nikita Khrushchev blasted the Stalinist regime. But there are signs of returning to Soviet ideological practices in present-day Belarus. President Lukashenka is mentioned is each of the four topics proposed by the Education Ministry to raise awareness of 8th-11th formers. In particular, the schoolers were assumed to study his speech at the Christmas hockey tournament and the performance of the hockey team Mikalai Lukashenka is a member of.
“As my grandmother said, there is no cure for stupidity. Promoting the ‘elite’ teenager’s way of life when about half a million people in the country are below the poverty line is almost a crime,” Stanislau Shushkevich, Chairman of the Supreme Council in 1991-1994, said.
Moreover, in one of Minsk schools children were forced to learn by heart the answers to specific questions about the hockey games of the Lukashenka family.
“You sit and listen to [someone talking] nonsense. You understand that this is nonsense. But the authorities want you to be stupid, because in this case it will be easy to make you obey. Obey! That is all about,” Belarusian filmmaker Yury Khashchavatski said.
At the same time, experts say that the system built by Lukashenka is already living its own life in which a facade demonstration of loyalty is undoubtedly a positive factor.
“Many try to honey up to him, to show they really like him so that he would treat them better,” Stanislau Shushkevich said.
But amid a dire economic situation the eager-to-please officials not always get what they want; Minsk resident asked by Belsat disapprove of both making overtures to the president and his obsession with sports:
“That’s not right. This is wrong. I think a lot of people think so.”
“This is, of course, wrong, when all teachers are ordered to do that.”
“Remember Vasily Stalin. He was a son of father of the nation. It was the same situation. Whom is Lukashenka’s son budding into?“
“Our president should tackle more important problems, not only those of hockey and sports.”
The Belarusian authorities seems to start preparations for the presidential and parliamentary election campaigns – one of them may happen this year. According to independent experts, in the context of Russia’s pressure and weak relations with the West, rallying around a ‘strong leader’ would be major narrative of the government. But with present-day conditions in mind, the attempts to create a cult of the Lukashenka family may only trigger public anger, Khashchavatski believes.
Belsat.eu
