Belarusian President Sees 2006 As Tense, Difficult Year for Country

President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said that 2006 was a “tense and difficult” year for Belarus. Speaking during a pre-recorded New Year’s address to the nation broadcast on state television just before midnight on 31 December, Lukashenka said that not only had had the country come under intense pressure from the West during the March presidential election, but – in a veiled reference to the recent gas dispute with Russia – some of those in positions of power in “a friendly state” harboured “anti-Belarusian sentiments”. He also warned that those seeking to gain control over Belarus’s industrial assets “for a pittance” would continue to try and break the country economically and politically. Around the time the address was broadcast, it was announced that Belarusian government negotiators had at the last minute signed a contract with Russia’s Gazprom in Moscow on gas supplies and transit in 2007. The following is the text of Lukashenka’s address broadcast by Belarusian TV on 31 December:

Dear compatriots, friends, esteemed guests of Belarus.

The year of 2006 is becoming history. In a few minutes, we and our state will become more mature. We are parting with the outgoing year with sadness and joy. We are sad because every day in that year was a day of our life, but rejoice because we look forward to new hopes. Our ancestors taught: bread does not come easy. Unfortunately, the past year was not an exception for Belarus. To be honest, it was quite tense and difficult. We wanted to be less involved in politics but to deal more with the economy and the wellbeing of our people.

However, for many reasons and through no fault of ours, this did not always happen. We had to resist massive external and internal pressure during the presidential election. However, attempts to rock this country were a resounding failure. The wise Belarusian people said its clear, weighty and firm word.

We are being threatened with economic sanctions and isolation again. The reason is simple. It is our desire to be independent. We have got used to threats from the West, but anti-Belarusian sentiments in some governing bodies in a friendly state are regrettable. In breach of earlier agreements, they are dealing a blow to our century-old friendship. Probably they have forgotten the old Russian maxim: God is not a strength but the truth.

The fair world order, the sovereignty of Belarus and the wellbeing of the people are the foundations of our policy which we will never abandon regardless of any threats or pressures.

2006 year of successes for Belarus

Dear compatriots.

Whatever happens, the year of 2006 was a success for our country. For this reason, this holiday night I want to express for all you my sincere appreciation for your honest and dedicated work, for your faithfulness to your homeland. In the past year we managed to implement all our plans in the economy, social and culture sectors. We have not just achieved the tough objectives of the first year of the new five-year plan, but we have also laid solid foundations for the future. Our annual GDP growth is almost 100 per cent higher than the world’s average. We have expanded the geography of our foreign economic contacts, we have made new friends and found new partners on various continents. We have asserted ourselves in the Nonaligned Movement, which unites over 100 states. Belarus has taken a lead in the international fight against human and drug trafficking and against other transnational crimes. So, parting with the outgoing year, we should be grateful to it. It has taught us a lot and made us confident in the strength of the nation.

However, each of us should learn well a few important lessons. Remember, no-one will take care about the wellbeing of our state except for ourselves. Everything depends on our hard work, creativity and solidarity, on our ability to love and defend our fatherland. We should learn to appreciate peace, stability and confidence in future, of which citizens of many states can but dream.

Finally, we should defend our national interests in a way our ancestors did in the most difficult moment in the history of Belarus.

Dear friends, probably some will find these words inappropriate for the holiday. But I am used to talking to you honestly in any situation. Our path will be difficult and thorny. It will not be rosy. We should be prepared to take difficult and extraordinary decisions. Those seeking to get hold of lucrative pieces of property in Belarus for a pittance will not give up their attempts to break us economically and politically.

Belarusians should rely only on themselves

Dear compatriots.

We have set ourselves the brilliant and noble objective of making our Belarus strong and prosperous. We will make it whatever happens. To make it happen, we should rely only on ourselves, on our hands, brains and perseverance. We, Belarusians, have plenty of them. We have never received gifts from heaven. However, time is currently dictating different terms. We should learn to work in new economic realities, live and do business more efficiently, and without using much resources. Our tomorrow is the economy of knowledge, new technologies, highly efficient manufacture. This is the only way to strengthen our sovereignty and preserve our comfortable, clean and beautiful country for the generations to come and for our children.

Wise people said: the house will collapse and the state will perish if they are divided among themselves. We should never allow a split, discord and confusion in society. Our strength is in unity and accord and in everyone’s desire to be part of the common cause. You can be confident: the authorities will do everything to ensure that the Belarusian citizens enjoy decent living standards. I strongly believe in the bright future of our people. This is the reason: on 2006, for the first time over the past 15 years, we achieved a good growth trend in the birth rate. This means that our women are confident of their future. This is probably the main achievement of the outgoing year and a good sign of the nation’s future revival.

Dear friends, in keeping with tradition, we make wishes to the chimes of the clock. At that moment, it is my heartfelt desire to wish you good luck, good health, living energy and success. May this year be marked with new accomplishments and victories, may the laughter of children, wellbeing and understanding fill Belarusian homes. On every day of the new year, do not leave your nearest and dearest without your care. Share joy, kindness and love with each other. May our native Belarus prosper and go from strength to strength. May what we plan always come true.

Happy New Year, dear friends.

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.