Press review: Belarus’s state-run media ridicule Putin

The two weeks of political events in the neighboring countries, not directly relevant to Belarus, nevertheless stirred the local media. First, the orange coalition made a surprise win at the snap parliamentary elections in Ukraine. While the independent press in Belarus was filled with excitement, the state-run media rushed to assure that the strong Yushchenko is about to throw off his mask and rewrite the Constitution for himself…

Meanwhile in Russia, something happened what everyone expected. Addressing the congress of the United Russia, Vladimir Putin agreed to lead the party’s nomination list and invited himself to serve as a prime minister.

The official press in Belarus which used to be stubborn not to notice Putin saying that it was inappropriate to amend the Constitution for the sake of one man, now took the pleasure of quoting the same words, having realized what stands behind.

“Putin Allmighty II”, reads a headline from the official news agency Belta. “The Best-Known Trick”, adds Sovietskaya Belorussia. The bottom-line of the comments is simple: our president is more honest; he changed the Constitution for himself, not like this one… “All taboos were removed from the monarchic idea, so popular in Russia for centuries,” writes Belta.

Sovietskaya Belorussia was very impressed with a weaver from the Ivanovo region, who asked Putin to remain for the third term. “In this slow and solemn action, resembling a Japanese shadows theater, I was mostly impressed with a fifth-class weaver… During the 8th party congress, this delegate announced a new era in the Russian politics… Did we hear this before?” mocks Sovietskaya Belorussia.

We did, indeed… Milkmaids and weavers are the favorite personages of presidents. Let’s read the same Sovietskaya Belorussia’s March 2004 issue, writing about the 3rd All-Belarusian Assembly. Natallia Harlyakova, a milkmaid and the mother of six, takes the floor:

“I am impressed by the president’s words… He has touched on all the problems. We do feel support which the state provides for the rural areas. Just five years back, our farm really struggled. We would even lack the fodder. We were almost giving up. But then they sent us a young college-trained professional. Gradually, we increased the livestock. We hope that it will become even better and we will make more money. Generally, we look into the future with a great optimism”.

Lukashenka too was asked by the folks to stay for the third term. First, students at the Belarusian University of Economics asked the head of the state whether he would run for the third term. “I take your applaud as approval, so I will definitely run,” Lukashenka answered.

Then, simple folks in Zhytkavichy met the president on the street and “proposed” him a referendum on the third term. “If the situation remains normal and I can see that the people endure Lukashenka… People should have the right to choose,” the head of the state did not rule out. Someone in the crowd cried out that he wanted Lukashenka to be a life president. But that was too much. “Nothing should be lifelong”.

Putin also refused from the third term, despite weaver’s proposals. But he is set to remain in power, and his country remains Putin’s country. This is the greatest deception, according to Belta, because the referendum on the third term was more honest.

“The people come at the background. It is safer. Today, demos like their leader. Tomorrow, they can run discontented. Step by step, the people are removed from the direct control over the real politics”.

In general, if we swap the words “Russia” and “Belarus” and “Putin” and “Lukashenka” in these articles, it turns out that the official press has whipped itself.

“One should not worry now about the succession of power in Russia,” ironic Belta discerned something positive in the Russian developments. But, according to the non-state press, this succession should in fact worry the official Minsk.

Minsk and Moscow are currently in a spell of complicated relations. Someone probably hoped that Lukashenka would have just outstayed Putin and could begin a game with new people in the Russian politics from scratch. All the hopes were disrupted by a weaver from the Ivanovo region…