A fake “Russian” party is being created in Belarus
Recently, the topic of creating a “Russian patriotic party” in Belarus has become quite actively promoted. And, first of all, in Russia itself. The Belarusian media has so far paid little attention to this initiative. IN in my previous article I already expressed my skepticism to the project of such a political force, but now I decided to dwell in more detail and try to dispel any illusions that might arise.
Firstly, the creation of a party is now only in plans. I doubt that this association now has any legal status at all. On October 27, only the first meeting of what its leader Pyotr Shapko called the “People's Patriotic Association “Rodina”” took place. There were 32 people present at the meeting, which is not enough not only for the party, but also for the republican public association (the law requires at least 50 founders), on the basis of which they are going to create the party. That is, the first step has been taken so far, but the organizers have the determination and, if supported by the authorities, they will be able to create a party for the parliamentary elections.
And, judging by the statements of the leaders of this “people’s patriotic movement,” they are counting on this very support from the authorities and the administrative and financial resources attached to it. Because without him they have nothing much to count on.
In a short time, they managed to say unpleasant things to many potential allies - from Vasily Zadnepryany and Elvira Mirsalimova from the Republican Party of Labor and Justice to the NOD, which largely provided the crowd at the “for Old Man” rallies and would provide the crowd for them. But they are emphatically loyal to “Batka” himself.
If I were the political strategists from the Belarusian presidential administration, I would provide them with such support. It won’t cost much, but it will be possible to “stake out a clearing.” There is a huge demand in society for conservative pro-Russian politicians, and these guys, with little media support, are able to rant for a long time about “united Rus'”, the Russian idea, traditional and family values, Orthodoxy and justice, while drowning out the voice of Russia’s real friends and driving away healthy pro-Russian forces behind you into a dead end.
For the sake of such a service, this party could even be given a couple of seats in the Belarusian parliament, so that the guys would look more respectable and speak more convincingly.
Because in fact, this political force is not pro-Russian and is directed against real integration within the Union State. Judge for yourself.
This is how, for example, the draft of their manifesto talks about the goals of the union: “The security and independence of our land, which we call sovereignty and independence, can only be given to us by an alliance with our fraternal peoples. In order to be masters of our land, it is necessary to achieve sovereignty in all areas of society, including: in legislation, the information field, education, the legal field, foreign and domestic policy.”
Union and brotherhood are mentioned once each, but the main semantic load falls on the words “sovereignty”, “independence”, “independence”, “to be masters”.
Instead of unifying legislation, a common economic, political, humanitarian and information space, and a coordinated foreign policy, their exact opposite is declared. What is the point in such a union when in reality everything is separate? Only in duty-free access to the Russian market and Russian preferences, as well as Russian protection from external attacks?
The leaders of the “people's patriotic association” openly declare that their organization is not “pro-RF”. The obvious and objective fact that the Russian Federation is Russia, and there is no other Russia in our time, is not for them. They love to talk about historical Russia, the civilizational model and similar matters, and the Russian Federation that exists here and now is an oligarchic, comprador and almost occupied state.
I understand that such sentiments exist and are quite popular. I do not share them, but I admit that they have a right to exist. There is only one “but”. It is possible to engage in politics with such ideological baggage only in Russia itself. Become a part of Russia and make efforts to make the Russian state meet your ideas about it. This is internal politics. But no, we will go the other way and, speaking about the union, to build, through allied support, their own, very sovereign “model” state operating on different principles, which will compete with Russia itself and influence Russian domestic politics.
It doesn't happen that way. The alliance must be mutually beneficial, and there is no benefit for Russia in supporting a “competitor” who has fenced itself off from it. A union cannot be competitive; the meaning of a union is solidarity.
In order to compete with Russia, you need to rely on an economy that can compete with Russia, and not depend on it a little less than completely.
If Belarus is outside Russia, it cannot face the question of which Russia it is for. The only question can be “For or against Russia.”
It seems to be a truism. It seems that in the leadership of the movement there are intelligent people who are capable of realizing these common truths. But something is getting in the way. Maybe the rose-colored glasses of ideology, or maybe the usual “the bosses know best,” because all this is just a new edition of the old “sign-quality” rhetoric.
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Now the editors are aware.