Aliaksandr Lukashenka presented state awards today. The ceremony was held ahead of National Unity Day, which is celebrated on September 17. Speaking at the awards ceremony, Lukashenka advocated keeping quiet and calm and making sure that no one points a finger at the country.
“After the return of the western lands to the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic, we became one people with a common history, culture and language, which had been banned in Western Belarus under the rule of the Polish state. That is a fact,” he said.
It should be recalled that on September 17, 1939, the USSR launched its campaign against Poland, which had already been attacked by Nazi Germany two weeks earlier.
“Today it is difficult to imagine, but that is how it was. As there were Belarusians who did not spare their lives so that we could ‘маглi людзьмi звацца.’ There were many such people. And although we began widely celebrating National Unity Day only recently, having sometimes gone too far in trying to spare the feelings of our western neighbor, this date was nevertheless in the heart of our people. And proof of that is the nearly 200 streets, avenues, squares and boulevards named after this date — September 17,” he said, adding that the holiday had already taken an honored place alongside Victory Day and Independence Day.
“History has repeatedly proven that whatever happens, Belarusians cannot be bought, they cannot be intimidated or divided,” Lukashenka continued.
At the same time, he still appears to question the significance of the holiday, which has been celebrated since 2021.
“Perhaps we do not fully realize what kind of holiday this is, and what its achievement and greatness are,” he said.
“To truly understand all this, peoples go through the most difficult trials. We do not need to be told about this, because our own people are going through such trials right on our doorstep. I would not want this to happen. Better to keep quiet and calm, but let things be as they are. Time will pass, and each of us will truly, in our soul and heart, appreciate the greatness of what happened in the middle of the last century,” Lukashenka added.
He also assured those present that he would do everything to ensure that no one points a finger at the country.
“We are one nation today. The most important thing is that we are the ones making decisions about the future of our country here. I want to assure you that, as the President whom you trust, I will do everything so that no one ever points a finger at us. And if they do, then, as now, it will be out of envy. Let them call us aggressors or whatever else — we are peaceful people. We know the price of war, we know the price of unity. I remember this well and will do everything to ensure that you are not, at the very least, disappointed,” he said.
