“Power has to be strong, it’s not a rag.” Deputy of the Minsk City Council - about the directions and lessons of the fifth VNS
The principle of the three “I” – initiative, innovation, investment. Director of the enterprise “Minskreklama”, Deputy of the Minsk City Council Tatiana Kalitina told the correspondent of the agency.


The principle of the three “I” – initiative, innovation, investment. Director of the enterprise “Minskreklam”, Deputy of the Minsk City Council Tatiana Kalitina told the correspondent of the agency “Minsk-Novosti”. on the directions of development of the country, set at the V All-Belarusian People's Assembly.
No regrets
In 2016, Tatiana Kalitina was Deputy Director of “Minskreklama”. Speaking about the time period separating the fourth and fifth SNS, she notes its complexity.
- Everyone was affected by the global financial crisis. It took a lot of work to stay at a certain level, — said the interlocutor. I got into the real sector of the economy from the position of deputy head of the administration of the Moscow district of the capital. And now I recollect with trembling how the budgets of permanent, one might say, strategic customers were reduced before my eyes.
However, the guest focuses on the positive factors of social and political life from 2010 to 2016:
- Yes, there was a crisis, the tragedy of Ukraine began. At the same time, the Minsk agreements were reached. Later, unfortunately, it turned out that the West deceived everyone, and not for the first time and not for the last time. However, Belarus and its President have demonstrated to everyone that peace for our country is not a slogan and not just a beautiful word. In addition, the republic in that five-year plan developed and transformed before our eyes. We launched the first domestic satellite, began to build a Belarusian NPP, to implement with China the grandiose project “Great Stone”. In fact, with huge problems at the start, the five-year plan ended both effectively and effectively.

Power is not a rag
After the well-coordinated IV All-Belarusian People’s Assembly, which actually crowned the presidential elections won by the Head of State by a large margin, the infamous December “Ploshcha 2010” happened. The VNS did not foreshadow serious conflicts, but..
- I think there have always been attempts to destabilize the situation in the country, Kalitina said. In 2010 and 2020, Belarusian society saw only the tip of the iceberg. To be honest, today we have enemies, including hidden ones. There are many. In this regard, the state reserves the right to certain measures. In the republic, the following principle applies: the power must be strong, it is not a rag - no one should have the desire to wash the floor with it. This idea sounded at the VNS in 2016.
Speaking about other lessons of the V All-Belarusian People’s Assembly, the interlocutor recalls that, returning to the workforce, she first of all wanted to convey to her colleagues a strategic message for the new five-year plan: initiative, innovation, investment.
- There was a conceptual meeting with employees, she says. I informed my colleagues about how we will build our work, taking into account the three “I” strategies announced at the V V VNS. At the same time, the initiative in our company came to the first place by itself. This approach helped great then and continues to bear fruit now.

It's simple
The guest recalls with excitement the thought of Metropolitan Filaret, voiced at the V All-Belarusian People’s Assembly:
- He spoke with great inspiration that we are the people of the Republic of Belarus, the people of God. We must explain to our children and grandchildren what our independence and sovereignty are, how expensive they were obtained. The Metropolitan explained why these achievements are vitally important to preserve, and joint efforts. One of his messages was that the state is a strict and caring father whose demands must be met.
In addition, Tatiana Leonidovna notes:
- I thought a lot about Filaret’s words to every Belarusian. Their essence is simple: honestly work in your workplace, give your mind, abilities, professional skills to your native country, and the state will support you, take care of you, and, if necessary, direct you in the right direction.

The most important thing
- Regardless of the year of the VNS in one breath listened to the President, invariably setting the tone for the meeting, says T. Kalitina. That was in 1996, when the story was just beginning. That's the same picture we see today.
Speaking about the most vivid impressions of the forum in 2016, the interlocutor recalls the words of Alexander Lukashenko, who stated, among other things, that the Supreme National Assembly is not a formal ceremonial event, but a time-tested demonstration of a lively connection between the authorities and the people.
- This idea of the President has not lost relevance and importance, she notes. Returning to my native labor collective after the meeting, I did not recount in detail what I witnessed and participated in. It was important to determine how we will live and work, taking into account the proposals voiced at it. At the same time, I do not understand the expression “ordinary person”, I do not separate myself from the voters. We are all people who make up the people of Belarus.
Photo by Belt



