10.04.2001
Message of the President's of the Republic of Belarus to parliament (the editorial staff thinks that it is a full nonsense)
Dear members of parliament!
Dear foreign representatives!
Friends!
First of all I would like, using this occasion, to congratulate the new deputies elected in our parliament. It is necessary to point out that for the last years, probably for 10 years or more our parliament is elected on 100 percents.
The peculiarity of the today's message and our today's meeting in this format will, probably, be also that I as the first President of our country in this first presidential substantial term make speech before you with the last message. And the second peculiarity is that I as the Head of state make speech with the first message in the new century and millennium before you, members of parliament, meaning the new parliament of our country. I would like today to give you possibility to discuss this basic major document of the year. There is an estimation of the results and direction of the development of the state and society in the current year and on immediate prospects in it.
Last years of the 20th- century can be thruthully called epoch-making in history of our people. Belarus has finally formed the statehood and gained the substantial sovereignty. The most important thing is what we have done with you, we have built the state with all attributes of this state. The elections of a new structure of parliament were conducted. Worthy people, who will ensure, I am sure, effective work of the legislative body are elected in it on the democratic basis. Executive "vertical" of the authority and judiciary operates successfully. On the whole there are all basis to prove that the strong state which is capable to solve successfully to decide difficult problems of economic and social development of the country and increase of welfare of our citizens is created.
The relation of centre and local controls are formed on the legal basis mutually supplementing and supporting each other. It was vividly demonstrated by the Congress of Councils of the deputies - new phenomenon in our life describing democratisation of the society and simultaneous increase of responsibility of all its institutes.
The talk about outlooks of social-economic and state building, on the whole a large talk, is held on May 18 on the all-Belorussian public assembly where all of you will be present. This meeting will summarise the past period and will define outlooks for the next five years. In 2000 positive changes in economics and in a social sphere are fixed. These results are obtained in the very difficult conditions. We work practically at full absence of main natural resources, we purchase them and without the considerable external credits.
Certainly, it is difficult. But it is very important, because we have no left and we shall not leave debts to the children.
The country enters new period, having definite reserves.
Having experience of last years, we should in a complex involve all capabilities available for this - material, financial, personnel, organisational resources and even an expedient geographic position of the country.
The main state purposes are:
- creation of condition for steady social and economic development on the basis of increase of efficiency of substantial sector of economics and quality, I point out, quality of its production;
- The retrofit, modernisation and renovation of firms (it is very actual for our economics, outgoing from its structure);
- Increase of a consumption level of the goods and services by the population;
- Development of manufacturing and social infrastructure and maintenance of favourable conditions of living.
Thus the priorities are determined and have already acted for a long: escalating of export of goods and services; perfecting of agriculture, development of village and support of peasantry; further development of building of houses and the most important, I point out it, its price availability. The new priorities are added: activation of innovation and investment activity, first of all, and, secondly, formation of an effective system of public health services which is capable to save health to a man and a nation.
The leading branch of a real sector of economics has been and is an industry, and main reason of the solution of problems facing to it active updating of a manufacturing potential on the basis of an intrusion of progressive engineering and the newest know-hows.
For this purpose it is necessary to strengthen a financial position of firms. It is necessary to increase profitability and competitive strength of production, to execute target problems on energy- and material saving. It is necessary for government to ensure an annual decrease of energy output of the gross internal product minimum on 3 - 4 percents.
Major direction of work to the outlook is the intrusion of high technologies in production. The difficult problems face to the agrarian branch. In 2000 the capital recovery factor was lower here than a level of the precursor year. All cattle-breeding production, except for poultry-farming was unprofitable. In agrarian branch the debts of the subjects of managing on paying credits and other payments increases. The number of insolvent facilities is not reduced.
In the current year it is necessary to decide the tight problems. On production of grain we should come to 6 million tons, potatoes - 7,5, sugar beet - 1,5, milk - up to 5 million tons, we should produce about 900 thousand tons of meats. Is it possible to achieve these parameters?
We can, if discipline, liability of staff are ensured everywhere. It is necessary to leave on a high level of intensification of agrarian production and intrusions of achievements of agricultural science. The new sorts of agricultural cultures and the best sorts of animal are necessary. The severe technical re-equipment of the branch is necessary. Such problems appear not only in the agriculture. It is a national problem.
The transformations in the agriculture are necessary. The favoured recently program gives a normative base. The district executive committees, the regional executive committees, the chairmen of the municipal executive committees and governors should take decisions on all problematic facilities on places.
And it is necessary to do this individually, taking into account local specificity, needs and inquiries of people who live there. I greatly expect that the members of parliament will take active part in perfecting relations in the agrarian branch. Thus, dear deputies, it is necessary not to forget that the perfecting of the relations in a village ,may be, even a reform does not aim the destruction of collective facilities. The facilities where a large production is produced will be the main producer of products and goods of the agriculture for a long time or forever.
Moreover, the collective farms, state farms, collective facilities are not simply subjects of managing in the agriculture. They public-territorial formations of some kind without which today it would be difficult for us to decide many, including social, problem in village taking into account that a village has grown older for the last time and earlier it was the same. Half of agricultural population is retirees, we should defend them with the help of collective facilities because they created and defended them by their blood. But it is impossible to be reconciled with those 15 - 20 percents of unprofitable facilities today. We should do something with them. What should we do? We have clearly said told about this it in the concept having determined a legal corridor and direction of perfecting such facilities. Those who directly work in them and who supervises on places over processes of social and economic development: local government bodies, management of these facilities and labour collectives - will perfect these facilities but not me, not parliament, not government.
Problems of successful realisation of a vernal sowing campaign require special attention today. But I asked recently at the meeting with the chairmen of district executive committees and governors not to concentrate greatly on this problem because we shall sow very fast within 20 days, within one month all cultures will be sown. It is not so wasteful campaign. The most difficult campaign is waiting for us - harvesting. And for it we should save material reserves, means, resources to be success.
In a number of regions and facilities we found out unwillingness to decide present problems. We also recently spoke about it at the meeting with the representatives of "vertical" of the authority. The deputies of the Councils of all levels, bodies of state and public control should not be reconciled with it. It is necessary to create atmosphere of intolerance to mismanagement, irresponsible attitude to work.
The subject of the special attention is a building complex. Here it is necessary to work actively over the improvement of the quality of building. A decrease of the cost of the building is the first problem. In June this question will be discussed at the special meeting at for the President. The concentration of financial and material resources on introduction objects, decrease of volumes of incomplete building, intrusion of effective systems of control are necessary.
It is necessary, especially houses. Today more than half million of families requires improvement of housing conditions. It is necessary, having got foreign and domestic experience, to create more effective system of financing of the building and purchase of the houses. It should allow citizens to improve the housing conditions first of all at the expense of own accumulation and means of firms. And again, I point out that the particular measures to decrease the cost of housing are necessary, that will make it by more accessible for people. I shall tell frankly: if Im today asked a question what problem troubles me most of all, what problem depresses me as the President most of all, I would tell the building in a part of the cost of housing.
In the current year and in the nearest future government, regional executive committees, Minsk municipal committee should pay special attention to the development of transport, especially to the realisation of the branch programs and realisation of effective transit policy. To accept the optimal solutions on engaging transit freight traffics.
It is necessary to provide needs of the country for communication services more reliably and qualitatively. In the nearest years it is necessary to rearm the branch completely technically, to develop modern types of communication. We have not privatised the branch of the communication service, and I as the President, as the Head of the state, am not going to privatise any of segments of a communications system created in due time by people, state structure. I mean Beltelecom" and others. But we have decided to open this market, we have opened it for the investors, including private. We have created some lines, including the last modern GSM. But we still do not have the competition.
I want to pay your special attention to this problem, because today already our private investors on whom we so hoped and the hosts of new types of communication have begun, softly speaking, as people say, to carry out robberies, to establish such prices, specially on mobile communication, on channels on which the television pictures are transmitted, that they become simply very heavy not only for poor people, but the rich also do not want to buy them. There is a question: what do government and minister of communication do at our control behind pricing? There is a struggle for the possession by this perspective market. Unfortunately, somebody from the civil officers starts to join to it. Once again I want to point out: these pranks are invalid in our country, specially on the large projects.
The consumer market should become the subject of the special care of the state bodies. It is necessary to ensure the balance of needs of the population in the goods with their pecuniary incomes. I think, the local government bodies pay not enough attention to the production of the consumer goods at jurisdictional enterprises.
The government together with the Minister of Trade, Belorussian co-operative union, regional executive committees and Minsk municipal committee, industrial and refining firms should sharply increase production of the qualitative goods (I all time say qualitative) to ensure needs of a home market mainly at the expense of them. It is completely abnormally when our goods are displaced by the import production. The trade service of the countrymen requires attention. A role of consumer co-operation which while slowly develops there is relevant here. Inaction, flaccidity in business and control are enabled. This diversified system certainly needs support at a state level, especially by the regional executive committees. But the demand is also necessary.
The sphere of trade on the whole requires strengthening of the state management. But we should do this without management by orders and decrees. I very closely follow the situation, your, dear deputies, expressions. Very often I hear that the should be given to private sector. Immediately! Once again I want to point out. The feature of the Belorussian process of privatisation is that there will be no downfall. Anybody will not give anything just and immediately. There where the state firm, including trade such as GUM, TSUM and others which form the system in the branch if it is possible to say so, works normally, they wont be privatised synthetically. Therefore I advise individual businessmen, other investors to create new firms. I think that there should be different forms of ownership in the state and they should compete and in the trade as well.
Once again I point out. We synthetically by downfall wont do anything, but the processes we shall also not constrain. We shall go from life. We always with you have gone from life, thus we have kept the country.
All system of our economics requires strengthening of a state management. It is necessary to pay more attention to the activity of the personal businessmen. They today provide more than 25 percents of a retail commodity turnover. But it does not mean, that we should react if an individual businessman sneezes. If you came to the market - compete in the environment.
It is necessary to establish new qualitative parameters of the household services.
The state association "Belbut" together with the district executive committees per the proximate years should restore (I place point out: to restore) volumes of services, objects of consumer services, especially in regions and countryside, and to come to the level of 1990, having adapted their list to modern demand. And what is very important - the priority attention should be paid to a countryman. I point out it apart.
In the macroeconomic policy the first problem is a problem of perfecting of the budget-tax system. It is necessary to achieve the legible control of taxation, decrease of tax load on substantial economics and simplifications of a tax system. All this should be reflected in the Tax code which I simply recommend to you to accept in the current year.
The main contents of the modern budgetary policy is the steady transition to priority financing of the most relevant social measures and programs, investment of budgetary means to the formation of a competitive structure of the national economics, hardening of the control over the target usage of budgetary means. Here not only the government, but also bodies of the state control should work more persistently and enthusiastically.
Moreover, I want to remind the deputies the rigid talk which has recently taken place at the meeting with the executive "vertical" of the authority. The committee of the state control still continue to inform about the scandalous facts of uncontrolled consumption of the budget. I would ask the deputies that parliament should control the laws taken by it, return to this question and help to decide the problems of the control of consumption of budgetary means.
About credit-banking and currency policy. Here there are severe objective reasons to maintain the macroeconomic financial stabilisation.
Populations and the subjects of managing firmly believe at Belorussian rouble and to the whole banking system. The exit to the unified course of the Belorussian rouble on all its segments is ensured. It creates the reasons for strengthening of an export potential of the country, increase of entry of the currency and decrease of inflation.
However there also problems exist. It is necessary to accept all indispensable measures for the fraction of overdue, prolonged and new doubtful credits not to be increased. To this the powerful barrier should be put. One complex of economical measures is not enough here. It is also necessary to apply measures through the line of law enforcement bodies. One will be responsible if he has not paid off on the credits, unimportant, currency or rouble. I think, you support such a position. It is great money - quarter of billion of bucks. It is necessary to return it. And if it is not returned, the responsible will be both those who gave it and those who took it.
Still high rates of growth of the prices cause severe anxiety. In this connection the whole set of measures is necessary. At first, the new scientific approaches to formation of the prices on production and services are necessary. Secondly, the rigid control over expenses which included in the cost of the production of the firms - monopolists or of all firms I would tell is required. The government is obliged to conduct a number of other measures: antimonopoly regulation, removal of price disproportions, reduction of volumes of cross sponsorship and budgetary donation. The economical methods will give a substantial result in a complex with administrative. Only in such a way an effective system of price policy is created. And government should be guided by these very approaches fulfilling tasks put by me on the rate of inflation. I want once again before the members of parliament to address to government: April - May, Vladimir Vasilievich Ermoshin, Andrei Vladimirovich Kobyakov, 0,5 percents - 1 percent of inflation! As you want but you are obliged to solve this problem. The inflation which is formed by you is invalid! Here it is the market which creates it because prices regulated by you grow mainly.
One of the most important strategic problems is to make the economics innovationaly active. The State committee of Science, the National academy of sciences should offer a set of measures on the technological updating of production.
I very respected, I respect and I shall respect scientific branch, those people who work there. But I am not doing to suffer that situation which has been formed in the recent years any more. And I think that the members of parliament will support me. We have kept all potential of our science, we have supported the scientists, and specially the Academy of sciences. And what is the result? In a near future at assigning the new president of the Academy of sciences we shall approach to this problem in the most serious, principled way. Show me that great which you have made for the last years, when we so carefully fell into with our scientists!
I think we should have a serious look at the reform of all scientific sphere. To see what it is necessary for us in the field of basic researches, what it is necessary for us in the field of problem branch researches and that it is necessary for us in the high school science. Also that we can and should receive from them outgoing from that financing, which we today have.
I think that a scientist who speaks a lot about market conditions, should first of all himself enter the market and show how it is necessary to work in market conditions. At the same time those programs which today are extremely necessary for our people and state we shall fund at the expense of the budget.
The government, National academy of sciences, lawyers together with chambers of parliament should work hard over the updating of the current legislation in a technological sphere.
In the investment policy it is necessary to recognise that annually it is necessary to renovate not 5 - 7 percents of the production, as we do now, and about 1/3 (25 - 30 percents). Then the Belorussian goods will be competitive at internal and external markets.
It is specially important to achieve increase of the investments into the spheres of production and services using all sources: own, borrowed, means of banking and businessmens structures. It is necessary to increase t a fraction of the banking capital in the long-term credits. The investment co-operation with brotherly Russia, other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States requires and countries abroad should be activated.
In the complex solution of problems of development of small, mean business the problems on formation of modern corporate control over businessmens structures by means of creation of financial and industrial groups, corporations, holdings and other integrated patterns appear. Priorities of the state support remain manufacturing, scientific and innovation sphere.
In the sphere of privatisation we shall follow the requirements of its state regulation. Inefficiently working state firms will be the subject to privatisation in the prime order by. The privatisation will go partly. If a firm works well and this firm is a branch of the system (such as the Belorussian railway, communication and so on), if it is compensated in currency, giving a main fraction of currency to the budget (such as "Belaruskalii" and other firms), if its work is cost effective, there is no need to privatise it. We still have the strategic objects (such as oil processing, large chemistry) - they also should not be privatised.
We have never sold our country and we shall sell it to nobody! It is for us, for our citizens, including our businessmen who want to work on the state, on people and to earn.
All transformations we have conducted and we shall conduct in concerns of people. In centre of our attention was and is a simple man.
We are obliged to ensure a worthy standard of living to the citizens, constant growth of their substantial incomes. It is planned and realised the increase of a wage at the growth of a consumption level. This problem is not easy but are obliged to solve it. It is a straight duty of the state with clearly oriented social policy.
Perfecting a pension system it is necessary to keep in mind that the size of the pension should corresponded to the labour contribution of a man. People give their best part of life to their work and when they are old they should be have all they want. And the capabilities for this purpose we have.
Reforming a system of social privileges and disbursements is necessary. Nowadays they are received almost by the half of the population of Belarus. Who should receive these privileges, who has deserved them - let him receive. But it is impossible to consider a present system of social support effective and fair. The government should update principles of necessity in social disbursements and introduce proposals. Thus it is necessary to start with the point that we should not worsen but improve living conditions of the needy and socially unprotected people.
Since 2001 the new order of financing of the system of public health services which foresees annual growth of volumes of financing in this sphere and rational usage of means is entered.
Here, in the part of rational usage of means, we should also prick up our ears. I think that the minister Zelenkevich, and vice-premier Demchuk, and government on the whole, and the Committee of the state control have a lot of work to do. In the nearest future we shall consider some questions at the President.
Overcoming of the consequences of the Chenobuls disaster is one of the most composite problems. I would tell more. Speaking about everything: about state building, about development of the system of public health service, education, about the staff, about privatisation, including the privatisation of land - we always should remember that we have the hardest burden gifted to us - Chernobul. Such is our fate, I do not know whose present it is, but we, all the state, should take care of 30 percents of the territory and population where people live poorly in connection with the Chernobuls disaster.
We are reproached that we do not have a full market, democracy or something else. But let these clever men who advise us remember that we bear the burden of the Chernobuls disaster. And it influences all social and economic policy of our state. Everybody who would change me, who would be elected as the president, if he loves and respects people, he will remember always about it. It is necessary to include a foreign public to the indicated problems more actively. I think that the work of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department on humanitarian activity, regional executive committees and the government on the whole work insufficiently. If this work was realised systematically, the help to Belarus could be greater. It is impossible to think that it is fair when the Chernobul subject starts to be ignored at an international level.
I have recently come to the decision (you have got this decree) concerning the transparency, I would call the humanitarian help which our country receives in such a way. Can you imagine how foreign countries and opposition cry! Abroad it is Overseas it was a stumbling-block on the eve of the presidential election. Again we are blamed in totalitarianism. But you, dear sirs, required a transparency from us all the time. So I have come to the decision about transparency of the humanitarian help. But it appears that they do not need the transparency now. They deliver here the whole systems to falsify the forthcoming election. Bring to our Chenobul regions computers and it would be better - medical engineering and medicines. And we shall be always grateful to you for it. We do not need the automated system of falsifying elections.
In education the prime priorities are maintenance of its accessibility and free-of charge, improvement of conditions and quality of training, especially in a rural school, increase of a standard of living of the pedagogical workers. It is necessary to implant modern know-hows in educational process, to provide deeper mastering of the Belorussian schoolboys with knowledge of foreign languages and computer literacy.
Culture. Here the main thing is the preservation and qualitative development of a network of organisations, intrusion of their new models and types, maintenance of variety of services and their accessibility, taking care of the historical and cultural heritage. But the most important thing is more careful attitude to people of this sphere. Look, how many outstanding names of the Belorussian culture we have! What a huge contribution they introduce to the development of national, and many of from them of world culture. And it should be expressed in the constant care of them.
The state support of the outstanding figures of science, education, public health service is necessary. It is necessary to strengthen the role of the members of parliament there. I have signed the protocol which includes all wishes and proposals necessary for them and for this sphere on the results of the conference with the workers of culture. And I want everyone who today hears me to believe that all commissions will be executed and in time. And the dear workers of culturer can not doubt of it. Physical culture and sports will develop at the expense of modernisation of material base, creation of multifunction sporting centres with a broad set of different services, development of children's and youthful sports. The sports are not only basis for health of people, it also area where a positive image of the country is created on a world scene.
Deciding problems of employment of the population, the special attention should be paid to the employment of the graduates of schools and also of socially vulnerable layers of the population who are not capable to compete on a labour market on equal terms. It also can be a sphere of attention and care of the appropriate commissions of our parliament.
Dear members of parliament!
In the field of the state building we prove our choice for the benefit of the effective state. It more successfully provides progressive development of the Belorussian society. By the way, more our partners in the CIS start to choose this way and in the last message of my colleague in Russia the thought about the creation of the effective state was sounded. We needed years to be convinced of the rightness of such approach in the state building. We with you were saved by God and we at once have taken this course.
In a system of the state authority parliament of the country takes the special place. Being representative and legislative body it realises difficult and many-sided problems on updating our legal system, making it modern with necessary requirements and outlooks.
Using positive experience accumulated earlier, best traditions of the former parliamentary structure, perfecting style and methods of work all the time, our national parliament, I believe in it, and henceforth will be above problems faced to it and will justify high confidence of our people and voters.
The authority is necessary not for the authority but to decide problems of the society, problem of an ordinary man. It is an axiom. Not only the parliament, but each government body in Belarus has the rights which are indispensable for the solution of problems faced to it. At the same time the authorities of different branches of the authority can be transformed, be reallocated depending on the situation in our country but not depending on the wish of somebody. I mentioned about it in the autumnal speech. There is no necessity to repeat. I think that the members of parliament and today have enough authorities to execute functions assigned to them successfully.
Someone raises a problem on creation of fractions in parliament. I am not against those proposals which will help our business. But our reality is those that fractions can promote transformation of parliament to a debatable club with a low effectiveness of work. It hardly should be done. But basically, it is your problem.
I know that the deputies would like to increase number of helpers and number of the staff and quantity of means for own needs. Let dear deputies accurately concern to this because people will hardly support us with such initiatives.
In a system of a state machinery of the country one of central places is taken by the executive authority - from government and on all its "vertical" up to the lowest link. The main requirements to all its structures concern, first of all, increase of efficiency of their work and liability of the staff. A problem of management, the President together with government to ensure perfecting of work of the staff in all links of the state gear. We should do this on the basis of the Concept of state personnel policy which should be submitted to me in the second quarter of the current year.
I would like to point out the relevance of interplay of republican bodies both among themselves and with local bodies of controls and self-control that directly influences productivity of work of all staff of control and was a subject of the special attention of the I Congress of Councils. I have given the appropriate orders to maintain more effective work of institutions of local government. I would ask the head of the Management, Prime minister necessarily direct all main normative documents which will be shown to the President for decision making to parliament for the conclusion. I think it concerns and other branches of the authority. They should be familiar with these materials and should introduce own proposals.
Last years we have paid attention to the perfecting of work of courts more and more. There are a lot of problems and unsolved question requiring non-traditional approaches. Having introduced a number of the new codes adopted by parliament the judiciary works in new conditions. It is necessary to increase the judicial responsibility for the work assigned to them, to ensure legality of the carried out solutions, high culture, transparency of a judicial proceeding. Essentially it is necessary to improve work of the prosecutor's offices, MIA, judicial authorities. They should act much more resolutely and more harmoniously. It is invalid when annually thousand crimes remain unopened.
Friends! The spent policy is effective in that case if it is carried out by an honest and diligent man with maximum attention to needs of common people. Boasting and red tape are intolerant. How many authorities a man should visit to decide simple problems of heritage, property right on housing, especially at a village and a lot of others! Courts and militia sin by a formalism.
I should tell, dear deputies, you should see these problems beforehand and introduce proposals for decision making. It is necessary to make everything for a common man to live more or less comfortable, especially in a village. You understand: there are no enough buses, this and that and a man should overcome 20, 30, and even 50 kilometres to get to a district centre to get every paper, help and sometimes for several times. This should not exist!
It is even worse when the red tape is a source of profit for thieves, of corruption for the officials.
In some villages there is no possibility to be washed in a bath. The purchase of milk is not realised, the contracts on purchase young cattle and production surplus are not concluded, the help in cultivation of land and harvesting from them is not rendered. Both a club and a shop do not work. I have already spoken: the routes of buses are closed. In the nearest future (I speak it to the prime Minister and Head of Management) I will return to this order which was given to you. We have agreed that at each region (and the deputies in the districts should be connected to this) we should work out new systems of routes for a man to have a capability one or two time per week to arrive quietly and to leave from a district centre where there is no railway station. I shall look how you execute it.
Conference with the chairmen of the district executive committees where all these problems are discussed in detail, the principled estimations and orders are given has just passed. The demand for the fulfilment of the adopted solutions will be rigid.
About perfecting our legislation - some words.
Last years many laws directed to strengthen the Belorussian statehood, guarantee of rights and freedom of the citizens, and on other problems are accepted. In a definite degree now it is possible to speak about sufficiency of a normative massif to realise the guideline of economical, social and other transformations.
However in this activity there are also lacks. One of them - absence of deep scientifically justified prediction of economical and financial consequences of development and acceptance of some normative legal acts.
Now it is necessary to deepen theoretical development of multi-plan problems of preparation and issuing of the compiled laws. This is our future in its legal frame. Here legal scientists and deputies of the Chamber of Representatives should work hard.
The legislation should be not only modern. It is necessary for it to be accessible, open for the usage by the citizens, legal faces, public.
Some words about ideological aspects of modern transformation of the Belorussian society.
The main statements of philosophy of the Belorussian statehood are fixed in the Constitution. It is the state sovereignty; admission of a man as the maximum public value of the state; maintenance of the substantial guarranties, rights and freedom of the citizens; unitary nature of the Belorussian state; a principle of the supremacy of the law; democracy etc.
The society and its citizens need the clear and steady ideological installations as those open them more broad possibilities for control over the state, confrontation of practical results of the activity to with long-time purposes make it possible to deepen democratic fundamentals of our life. These installations should absorb in themselves socio-political values of the developed civil society, universal moral norms born in a channel of Christian tradition, principles of labour ethics, fundamental values of spiritual life of Belorussian people.
Our philosophy can not be based on philosophy of one political party or force. Belarus is a country with active development of a multi-party system, freedom of activity of public associations and freedom of speech.
According to the current legislation over thousand public associations including 18 political parties, about 40 trade unions, 35 veteran, 37youth, 18 female organisations are registered in the country. All of them act according with their charters encompassing practically all world outlook spectrum of the Belorussian society.
Elections of the President of the country is an integral part of our common work to built the effective legal democratic state. It is necessary to raise in eyes of the public the relevance of this measure connected with operation of all system of the state authority. Systems which operate on the basis of the higher level of legitimacy are will of people.
The destiny of the Belorussian statehood, development strategy of the Belorussian society will depend a lot on results of the forthcoming election. Today, as never before, the unity in the society is necessary. It is impossible at a torrential flow of political events, passions to swing the state and society breaking state authority.
In country the electoral system is created and checked in practice. We shall not change anything in the Electoral code now because it is abnormal, we do not have time for this and it is impossible to do this at the march.
The election campaign should be conducted so that the absolute majority of voters take part in voting and make their free (I point out - free) choice appropriate to their believes, common sense, values and priorities of development of the country.
The election campaign will be a sharp political struggle. It is influenced by the economic situation in the country, social status of votes. Deputies, members of the Council of the Republic should not saty away from these problems.
Your authority should help a voter to elect a right person, to make right choice. But the main thing is that the elections will pass in our state on the Belorussian laws, rules established by the appropriate Belorussian structures and bodies. All central and local government bodies, deputies should pay large attention to direct contacts to the people. For the state policy to be supported by people it should meet living conditions and interests of people, to be recognised by them. And for this purpose it is necessary to meet people, to understand them and to do for them everything that is possible in present conditions. We are for people but not people are for us. It is necessary to remember it daily. The confidence of the people should be valued, it should be justified.
The very important role now belongs to a system of the socio-political information, ideological work on the whole. This system while inefficiently works both on republican and at a local level. Reasons are in a weak staff security, in failing to adjust the collecting and usage of the necessary information.
Activity of the Belorussian television is becoming better slowly. It suffers from the lack of professionalism, people with good art taste and political intuition. The Belorussian television rather seldom demonstrates our achievements, even in programmes which intention is. The main thing is that there is no professional reaction to events.
I have a lot questions to republican and local newspapers and magazines. They could more successfully influence positive development of political events and public consciousness.
The mass media is obliged daily to reach practically each man - from a worker and collective farmer up to a minister, from a student up to an academician.
I want to pay your attention to one more important aspect. I speak about depositing of elements of ideological expansion into the information space of our country, first of all through the line of electronic MASS-MEDIAS and not only from West but also from some Russian tele-radio channels. The representatives of our parliament could be more active and offensively act in a mass media and give rebuff to the ideological opponents. People need the professional and argued analysis of problems faced to them. By the way, our reasonable, sensible members of parliament who already know how to conduct this work, have disappeared from screens of TV sets. Why, what has happened? Probably, again there is a defect from the part of the management of parliament and our journalists.
Friends! The important strategic problem of the beginning of the new XXI of century is the maintenance of national safety of the country, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, preservation and further development of statehood. This problem demands a balanced and adequate estimation of a situation which takes place in a world, acceptance of the deeply balanced measures. Our efforts in business of realisation of foreign-policy concerns of the country bring positive results. The participation in large international forums has demonstrated that the line of Belarus on construction of a multi-polar world is very much alike to concerns of the majority of the states. I know it from the Sammit of Millennium which was recently held under aegis of the United Nations.
The improvement of our relations with European countries should promote recovery of full interaction of Belarus with European union. Belarus is interested in further strengthening of the Organisation on safety and co-operation in Europe (OSCE) that predetermines the position of parliament in this problem.
We should not forget about the NATO. Our position concerning this organisation has not changed, but it is necessary to co-operate with countries - members of the alliance within the framework of the program "Partnership for peace " and Council of Euro-atlantic partnership.
Belarus with great responsibility approaches to the relations with the United States of America as one of the recognised leaders of a modern world. Our principles are known: equality and mutual respect of interests of the parties, absence of the double standards and, save us God, dictatorship.
Within the framework of multi-sided policy Belarus develops different forms of co-operation with countries of Asia, Latin America, the Near East, Northern Africa.
The very important meaning has the development of the business relations with our nearest neighbours with whom we want always to live in peace and consent.
The special object of our political and economic co-operation is countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The priority is given to Russia. Together with them it is necessary for us to strengthen economics on the basis of mutuality, to built more reliable system of national safety. The situation in the world in the beginning the third millennium has not become non-conflict and secure. We more and more are recently not simply criticised but beaten for our allied relations with Russia. Once again I want to point out it is unpromising. We respect this country, we like this people because they are our people. We understand this people, we speak one language with them, in our veins half of Russian blood flows. Such situation has been historically formed. Russia has always helped us. It supported us and attempts to spoil it are unpromising. Our relationships with Russia will be perfected.
Last year a number of particular steps which help to strengthen the union of Belarus and Russia in the sphere of national safety was taken. The solution on creation of a regional grouping of troops of Belarus and Russia was accepted. The Program of matched mobilisation preparation on the period till 2005 is approved. The projects of the programs of arms of the Allied state till 2005 and joint defence booking are designed this year.
Special attention is also paid to our own defence capabilities. Measures to finish reforming of the Armed forces and by 2005 to remove them on optimal qualitative and quantitative parameters are accepted.
The problem of maintenance of socio-political and information safety of the state is Not less important. It is necessary to counter to negative effect on Belarus from the outside and from internal destructive forces.
The decisive actions directed to protect life, health, personal immunity, to crime control, maintenance of lawfulness and law order are required. We should not to ignore problems but to speak about them and to decide them. It is a problem first of all of law-enforcement bodies, corts, prosecutor's office, deputies, broad public. The departures from these requirements are invalid.
Dear friends!
The majority of considered problems is expressed in the message. Finishing the speech, I shall mark off the following.
In the XXI century Belarus enters with solid intention to live in peace and consent, without social shocks and revolutionary experiments, to ensure power and prosperity of country and health of people.
Belarus should become the mighty prospering power. And for this purpose we have all capabilities the most forward modern science, the newest know-hows, manufacturing potential, prepared staff, economic and political repeatability. In actions of the authority there is a sequence, predictability and compulsion.
It is necessary in a full power to use everything that will allow to make a step forward: and first of all to raise of optimism of Belorussian people, to consolidate their national self-consciousness and confidence to the state. What Belarus will be in the new XXI century, depends on that we shall manage to make for it today. Thank you for your attention.
