Modern socialism – “The Oasis of Batka” in the middle of Europe

EMZAR JGERENAIA

Everything has its exotics, so political style and economies of different countries are not exceptions. From this point of view, “the oases of socialism” have recently become very interesting and attractive.

It is a fact that Tbilisi elite goes to Cuba, the last outpost of socialism, for having a good time. But lately, the Byelorussian topic became very actual. They predict a revolution there, European and Georgian politicians call it “a disgraceful dictatorship of Europe”, but Russia is trying to form a single state with it or to form a stillborn “Evrases” union.
The subject does not seem to be a simple one. But still, who is “Batka” (“Batka” means “father” in Russian), and what’s going on in Byelorussia?
Here is our exclusive material:
“Batka”, i.e. Vladimer Lukashenko, was born and grew up without father in out-of-the-way province of Byelorussia, in Gomel region, i.e. he is an illegitimate son. This fact has had a serious impact on his life and later on his political career. In his childhood he was always insulted and laughed at by the children of his age, he has kept the offences in his mind and remembers them until now. Proceeding from this, he can’t stand a normal family and educated persons. He’s been in discord with his wife for a long time, so they live separately and almost does not meet. Nobody knows, whether they are divorced or not. Thus, Byelorussia is without its First Lady. His two sons grow up in Minsk without their mother. Lukashenko resettled his mother in Minsk in one of the main avenues and built her a special villa. He graduated from Minsk State University, the faculty of History and went to work to the village as a teacher. He was especially interested in the Soviet History and collectivization, but he couldn’t work as a teacher for a long time and soon he became a kolkhoz chairman. From this period he is fond of collective farms and tries to keep them without changes, just as it was in the last century. But he couldn’t stay there long and started military service. He was a “Zampalit” there. For those who doesn’t know the meaning of this word, we can explain, that it means a commissar in the army, whose duty was ideological work and keeping an eye on moral and party character of the generals. So in this military service he was growing up as a future dictator. Here he contacted with notorious security services and became their secret agent. Later these security services played a very important part in his career. In 1990s, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, in Byelorussia, like in the whole of the former Soviet Union there were corruption and chaos. The population’s discontent was gradually growing and against this hard social background there appeared a magpie, who was promising the people to return the old time (by the way he has kept his promise), fight against corruption (all dictators come to power with this slogan), a new socialism, democracy and protection of interests of the working masses.
Byelorussian establishment of that time considered him as Simple Simon without any experience in politics who could be easily manipulated. It was a long time ago, but anyway, let’s recall some moments from the past: as soon as he came to power, he brought his people to the internal troops, armed forces and prosecutor’s office. Those people in the government, namely the Minister of Internal Affairs of that time, who helped him to become the president didn’t like his usurpation of power and he started to form a team opposed to Lukashenko. And it was a starting point of everything that happened later. The minister and his friend disappeared without a trace and until now nobody has seen them either dead or alive. Since then this method is widely used in Byelorussia. Soon he made a list of undesirable people and they also disappeared without any sign. At the last referendum concerning Lukashenko’s election to the presidential post for the third time, the chairman of the election committee expressed his protest and it was his that was his big mistak. Soon Mr.Gonchar disappeared too.
Even Beria didn’t have such a method. He “judged”, forged something, etc. These are the methods of Pinochet. He is fighting against educated people and there are only provincial peasants in his government. He doesn’t let the residents of Minsk to come to the government, and especially hates those people who received education in the West. The majority of people in the government are of this kind and mainly those ones who are just “political carrion” without him. There is no opposition in the country! The militia and security services are twice as large as the army. Their main task is suppression of the opposition. All the TV channels and periodicals are under control of the government. That’s why different opinions don’t exist. The opposition can’t get the grants from the West as the government controls all the banks like any other property. The government doesn’t even give buildings to the opposition for their meetings and they try to meet in the famous forests of Byelorussia in groups of 3-4 people just like in Lenin times. But these forests are controlled by the security services, all kinds of meetings are prohibited, only picnics and sex are allowed there. The opposition doesn’t exist. And it has some other reasons, first of all, it is Byelorussian’s character. They are very serious and balanced people, they don’t want any cataclysms. They have always been this kind of people though they are Europeans in the true sense of the word.
Another reason is very interesting – it is economic and social reason to which we’d like to draw your attention.
Byelorussia – territory 250 thousand square km, population – 10 million and it is decreasing every year. During the World War II the country has lost 2.4 million people and the demographic situation has not improved until now. The number of women in the country considerably exceeds is the number of men. (it’s noteworthy that they have fantastically beautiful ladies).
There are ix regions in the country. Brest, which Lenin ceded to Poland and Germany, was recovered by Stalin just before the beginning of the Patriotic War (the residents of the region still consider themselves as Poles). Vitebsk, that used to belong to Lithuania, was also given to Byelorussia by Stalin. Its residents still don’t know Byelorussian language.
All property, factories, collective farms, and housing resources, etc belongs to the state, including transport and power supply infrastructure. All factories, collective farms, hospitals and schools work. In the country there is absolutely planned economy. They don’t know what it means – to live without electricity or water. They don’t know what unemployment is.
Today the famous refrigerator producing factory in Minsk is called closed joint-stock company “Atlanta”, which produces modern fridges, washing machines and machine-tools with German electronics. 12 thousand people work in the company and their average salary is 350 dollars. At the same time they have all the privileges, such as a possibility of getting flats, paid leave and to have sport complexes. The latter is “Batka’s” weak point and he is building more and more gymnasiums. Especially he is building hockey stadiums. It is said that he himself likes to play hockey. Large enterprises have their own collective farms most of which are unprofitable, but though maintenance of the farms decreases their productivity it maintains the social balance.
The famous “Maz” factory now produces modern buses, well-known “Belaz” heavy dump-trucks and many special machinery. The tractor factory “Belorus”, combine producing factory and the factories of light industry work with full loading.
Constant electricity, gas and water supply, non-criminal environment, good roads and well arranged work of the whole infrastructure are considered to be a usual thing. The state plan is the “Bible” for them and its non-fulfillment is severely punished. The government controls the prices of everything. Alcohol, petrol and transport businesses are a state monopoly. This fact doesn’t prevent them from having modern casinos, bars, restaurants, hypermarkets, fashionable shops, also private and cooperative system of housing. There aren’t any stands or vendors in the streets. There are two kinds of foreign capital presented in the country that are engaged in renting of buildings and service sector – they arrange trade shops, casinos and bars according to the civilized standards. Big factories work in cooperation with foreign partners: electronics for machine-tools and fridges is imported. There are always a lot of tourists in the country as it is quite exotic to see such cheap services and law prices in the middle of Europe. If we also take into consideration modern sport complexes, cheap drinks and food, nice parks and beautiful Byelorussian ladies, we’ll come to a conclusion that this country is a real paradise for western tourists and their multitude is really striking. In the country there is always budget proficiency and trade balance is positive. The national currency is quite firm – 1 dollar is equal to 2134 Byelorussian rubles. During the last several months the country exported to Europe 6 billion USD worth of goods.
“Eurozes” and the union of Byelorussia and Russia is a separate topic. “Batka” is very insidious. He played on Eltsin’s imperial ambitious and offered him to unite their states, though both sides know that it is impossible to implement it as this idea was stillborn from the very beginning, and that the single state will not exist. The situation with the Euro-Asian community to which Putin is clinging is similar. What do they need it for? Russia needs it for its own PR to show its imperial electorate that it is going to recover the old glory and the territories that were conquered by Stalin and Russian tsars. Byelorussia gets some profit out of it too. Russia annually gives it financing of 1billion dollars. Russia’s political establishment is surprised why “Batka” is financed the way the former USSR used to finance Angola and Vietnam. But they can do nothing, as there is no way out in sight yet. Currently Byelorussia enjoys the existing situation, “Batka” assures Russia of his devotion to it and the country receives financing and raw materials from Russia. Even Pinochet would envy Byelorussia. Thus, it is such an amazing experiment of combining the elements of modern socialism, dictatorship and market economy that you by all means have to see it – but just don’t speak about politics, democracy, freedom and especially about human rights.
You can do anything you like in the country but don’t occupy yourself with politics and criminal activities. There are neither oligarchs and business tycoons nor criminal authorities in this country. Only one man – “Batka” has all the functions in his hands and takes care of everything, including sponsorship. According to the country’s legislation, if you want to be a sponsor or give f grant, you need “Batka’s” written agreement on this. Besides the fact that he controls everything, people believe that he is their father and that’s why they called him “Batka”.
Byelorussians, and especially the residents of Minsk, are dissatisfied and often grumbling about the shaped situation, but they can’t find the way out. It is noteworthy that of the Western-Asian business tandem works well. All famous companies, like “Xerox” and “Samsung” are represented in the country and it has close relations with all international financial institutions, such as World Bank, International Monetary Fund and so on.
There is everything in “Batka’s” country but freedom of speech and opposition. But do the people want them?