Naumova: Lukashenka has done something for the past, and remained there

Naumova: Let us define first what we mean when we speak about the national idea. Sometimes the national idea is understood as a certain inspiring motto which can unite and lead people. Speaking about form, it maybe so, but the essence of the national idea is first of all the strategic choice of the whole country.  Belarus really faces such choice now. It’s not just a choice of another person, not just changing the authority – this is the change of guidelines. That is why, when we speak about the election campaign today, we really speak about choosing the national idea.

European Radio for Belarus: You mean, it is time for changes in Belarus and they are inevitable?

Naumova: Sure. An authoritarian program of development can be very effective for a short period of time, but it exhausts its potentialities very fast. It can be compared with a person taking anabolic steroids – first he becomes very strong, but then just waste away… The same happens to authoritarian governments. Today Lukashenka needs Europe’s recognition, so he is forced to declare some modernization of the country, including political one. Another point is that it is impossible to conduct any modernization with such authoritative system as now. 

Today’s national idea is to make Belarus a modern country 

Naumova: If we take a look at the candidates’ programs, we’ll see that they say the same things in fact. It’s not because they lack creativity. The point is, it is clear that Belarus cannot live the same old way anymore. The authorities also realize that.

Lukashenka’s program contains appeals and statements that are so unlike him. For example, he says that the economy of initiatives should substitute the command economy. It is difficult to imagine Aliaksandr Ryhoravich saying something like this! Nevertheless, he presents this as his pre-electoral program. And this is natural, as we really need to transfer to the new image of Belarus.

Belarusian national idea is closely connected with the necessity to modernize the country. We still use the concepts of XX, and sometimes even XIX century… The national idea now is to make Belarus a modern country of the XXI century.

European Radio for Belarus: You say we can see new things in Lukashenka’s program, the ones he never mentioned before… What are they, apart from the “economy of initiatives”?

Naumova: Aliaksandr Ryhoravich started speaking about the civil society, about necessity for new social programs. His program is quite acceptable in view of the country’s development, in terms of language and ideas.

Another point is that we should realize that in fact it’s not Lukashenka’s program. He has already stuck in his own routine and he cannot break it. In fact, his today’s program demolishes everything he has done for 16 years. This program has been written by rather clever people, but it does not reflect the real position of the leader of the country.

Moreover, there are some opportunistic things in it – Europe expects such a program from him, and he gives it. It is a clever move, but we should not trust so easily. 

European Radio for Belarus: When we watch the presidential candidates’ TV-speeches today, what is more convincible – a concrete economic program, or steps which need to be taken to liberalize economy, or some mottos which can unite Belarusians?  

Naumova: Of course we should think about economic programs too. However, as I’ve said, the most important thing is to choose new priorities. Now it is the issue of more freedom, more independence and initiative to the society which is on the agenda. To realize this idea today we need some political will, which many candidates, including the current President, lack at the moment.

European Radio for Belarus: What is closer to Belarusians today – the European Belarus or the Belarusian one? For example, Kastusyou places a white-red-white flag in front of him when he speaks in public… 

Naumova: Yes, there is such a concept that the Belarusian national idea is in the first place the white-red-white flag and the “Chaser” coat-of-arms. I think this is a misconception. All these symbols, which I surely respect, were aimed to unite the nation in the XIX or XX century.

Kastusyou, who promotes and demonstrates these symbols all the time, should realize that he calls on Belarusians to build the nation taking the past, not the future, as an example. The symbols are of course important for Belarusians, but first we need to know which modern plan of development of our country we have at the moment.

European Radio for Belarus: Nevertheless, an opinion that Kastusyou is the most pro-Belarusian candidate is often declared in the comments at internet-forums after the candidates’ TV-speeches…

Naumova: Yes, as we understand the word “national” in a very narrow, a sort of ethnical sense – we need to speak our own language, love Belarusian culture, sing Belarusian songs, respect Belarusian folklore… However, the XX and especially XXI century brought us a totally different concept of a nation. A nation as a civil society. We should speak about innovations in the economy, politics,culture…

Belarusian national culture is not just “mother’s house”. It is the Free Theatre, apartment gigs, and a huge number of alternative artists…

Naumova: As soon as we start speaking about Belarusian culture, there appear images of “the mother’s house, animals and plants, a tree over a pond…” I mean, we put some absolutely patriarchal images into the concept “Belarusian national culture”.

Besides, the Belarusian national culture today is the Free Theatre, a huge number of alternative artists, semi-underground art galleries, apartment gigs… there is a very rich alternative culture in Belarus today. This is also Belarusian culture! This is something that lives within the city space, not just in a village with its cute images, connected with our childhood, or the childhood of the nation…

 
European Radio for Belarus: Taking into consideration all the above, how would you describe the type of a leader which is the closest to Belarusians now? 

Naumova: It is the image of a modern-time leader, who is capable of uniting a new, young team, a team of the new generation. Surely, it doesn’t mean we should give away the previous experience, or conduct lustration in accordance with the age principle, like, everyone older than 35 should get out to the dump of history… I mean people with modern thinking and ambitious plans.

Is the motto of the Belarusian nation “We never lived decently, it’s no use to start”?

Naumova: In my opinion, the problem of Belarus and Belarusian national consciousness lies in thefact that Belarusians are so non-ambitious as a nation. I would say their motto is “We never liveddecently, it’s no use to start”. 

Today we need a person who would say: “We will live better, we will become leaders in these and those spheres…” This is in fact my personal pretension to Lukashenka. This man has done something for the past, and remained there. We need a person with a modern, XXI century way of thinking.  

European Radio for Belarus: Can the idea of Lukashenka being bad still unite people? Or do we need something else?

Naumova: This idea surely can unite a certain part of the society. I would not despise these people, saying something like “they don’t care whom to vote for if it is against Lukashenka”. Some people claim it is an immature political position, but this position is quite actual for the current Belarus. When we say “Whoever but not Lukashenka”, we mean that the old program according to which the country lived is over, it has exhausted its potentialities. So when people now unite, as you say, against Lukashenka, they in fact unite for a new way of development.

European Radio for Belarus: What kind of a leader should substitute a charismatic one?

Naumova: One bright person should be substituted by another bright person, which will clear some space for the form of state governing called “rationally legal government” by Max Webber. It shouldbe quiet, bureaucratic, but democratic.  In order to reach the quiet island of democracy we should gothrough demount of the old system. This can be done only by a very charismatic leader.

This is surely a very delicate issue, as today Lukashenka’s successor will in fact inherit all his authorizations, all this all-power position of the country’s leader. Here it is very important to understand whether this person will be able to sacrifice it for the future of the country, or he will go on doing the same things.

European Radio for Belarus: Probably, this leader should also have a bright appearance, in addition to bright behaviour?

Naumova: The essence of a politician’s profession is speaking. A politician is someone who speaks with people. Sometimes we have a misconception that a politician is someone who can manage. Managers manage, while politicians should speak with people. Thus, people are expecting a leader who can explain everything to them, who can inspire and lead them. A leader who has enough political will to conduct all the reforms.