5th Belarusian People’s Congress. Day 1

The unity of people helps maintain peace in the country, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the 5^th Belarusian People’s Congress on 22 June.

“The right of the person and the citizen to take part in managing state affairs is an indispensable requirement of the time. The vigor that Belarus citizens demonstrated as they were preparing for and organizing meetings in labor collectives, in educational establishments, at their workstations, and in their places of residence once again proved that our congress is a really operating mechanism of government by the people,” said the head of state.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, the key purpose of the forum is to discuss topical aspects of the society’s life, to discuss regional problems at the national level, to work out a consolidated opinion about ways of achieving strategic goals and plans to develop the economy in the new five-year term.

The head of state noted that the Belarusian People’s Congress is truly one of the most important forms of direct democracy and a public institution that has proven its value in modern Belarus. “An open and honest talk with people has become a part of life for the government and all the civil servants in the country,” he stressed.

The head of state noted that the unity of the nation and mobilization of all its forces are the things needed to weather difficult times and even prevent them, maintain peace in the country and save the country itself. Many noticed that the Belarusian People’s Congress coincides with the important date in the Belarusian history, 22 June. “It is a truly symbolic, tragic and telling date. The most horrible and bloody war in the history of mankind began 75 years ago. We remember its lessons very well,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed. “The main lesson is that any, even the biggest, problem can be overcome together. If the nation gets united against difficulties, any obstacles are surmountable, any goals are achievable,” the President said.

“We can confidently say that we are able to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country, peace and order in the state,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The program for Belarus’ social and economic development in 2016-2020 aims for the future and envisages concrete actions. “This is a program for development, not stagnation. It aims for the future, not the past. And it is a program of action, not expectations,” the President stressed.

“We perfectly understand that problems do not get solved by themselves, and crisis phenomena will not disappear with a wave of a wand. This is why the principles of progress and openness have been laid as the basis of the program. We place our stakes on knowledge and technology. This is the key to solving the current problems and for moving forward,” the head of state stressed.

In his speech Aleksandr Lukashenko named the reasons for the economic slowdown in Belarus in 2011-2015, enumerated the main stages and achievements of the country in the sovereign period, spoke about the prospects of the social and economic development in various industries and regions of Belarus.

“Thanks to investments the essence of the national economy should become innovative. There is a huge potential for restoring the economy’s competitive ability in that. This is why it is necessary to prioritize investments in innovations, in other words, in the creation of new science-intensive products, which will be competitive on the global market,” stressed Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The President underlined: “There will be no breakdown of the current political system. I’ve stated repeatedly that the nation used up its limit of revolutions and catastrophes last century. Now Belarusians want to leave in peace and prosperity, creating instead of destroying their wellbeing and the wellbeing of their young and sovereign state.”

“I believe that Belarus will be a strong and prosperous, independent and friendly, beautiful and comfortable country in five years,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.