He got tired, he resigned
Boris Nickolaevich Yeltsin died of cardiovascular collapse at the age of 77 on April 23.
The burial of the first Russian President will take place on March 25. Vladimir Putin has announced this day a day of national mourning.
Pyatro Krauchanka, a former Minister of Foreign Affaires and Belarusian ambassador to Japan, thinks that Yeltsin made Belarus to change to “real democracy”:
Pyatro Krauchanka: “I watched it closely at various moments in different capitals: in Belavezhskaya Pushcha (Viskuli) and in Moscow, in Minsk, in Tashkent and Bishkek — I saw Yeltsin in various circumstances. I can say that he was a good statesman and a wise person.
As far as I know, he could take a decision about, say, granting Russian citizenship to people who made a lot for Russia in several minutes regardless of the fact that it was a complicated and long procedure.
He took decisions instantly. It testifies to the fact that he was well-prepared”.
According to Mr. Krauchanka, he always treated Belarus decently and helped its economy a lot during the first post-Soviet years.
Pyatro Krauчанка: “Last time I saw him in the middle of the 1990s. He was not feeling well. Now we all know that he did not win the first tour of the presidential elections in 1996 – it was Gennadii Zyuganov who won 59% of votes.
Yelsin became President in spite of that fact but it was the last straw for him”.
A former Belarusian Prime Minister Mihail Chyhir recalled Boris Yeltsin’s good health and subtle mind. He thinks that he should have lived till the age of 90.
Mіhaіl Chyhіr: “I saw that he was able to notice everything and he never missed anything at the meetings he presided at. But when it was over he liked to drink some alcohol. He was determined, both at meetings and feasts.
He could drink a lot and then say it was necessary to continue the work. Who else can do it today? But I saw it myself. It happened before my very eyes…”
Mіhaіl Chyhіr also thinks that Belarus should be grateful to Boris Yeltsin. He says there are economic reasons for it:
Mіhaіl Chyhіr: “He decided to cancel a Belarusian debt of 1 billion 200 millions USD for gas. It happened in 1995 or at the beginning of 1996.
He was (for those who knew him) a very kind man. His life and his actions showed that he was also determined. The Russian government was against it, they kept telling him: “It is interest-free. Leave it!” But he said: “No!”
He took that decision and signed the document. We should remember about it”.
Yuryi Іvanou is a reporter who was present at the historical meeting of the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in Visculi.
Yuryi Іvanou: “When they signed the document I turned to him for the first time. I said: “Boris Nikolaevich, could you please stand in the center, between the Ukrainian President and Shuskevich from Belarus?” He did it. And I said: “A little bit closer, please!” I wanted to group them in some way.
He smiled and then embraced Krauchuk and Shushkevich. It was a famous picture that appeared in all foreign information agencies: Yeltsin embraced Belarus and Ukraine like brothers”.
