"I will tell you a dark secret - most senators speak Belarusian perfectly!"

130222_marzaliuk.mp3

Euroradio: Was there some event in your life, after which the “Belarusian identity” awakened in you?

Ihar Marzaliuk: Belarusian identity is an integral part of my cultural identity. For me, being a Belarusian was a natural and organic thing since childhood. I went to a Belarusian village school, my grandfather was a member of the Society of Belarusian schools.  I saw “Nasha Niva” publications not in a museum, but on the bookshelf in my grandfather’s house. I know Russian language, too, but I completely forget it over the summer in Stalbtsy district – the people there speak Belarusian as freely as they breathe.  When I entered the Faculty of History, I knew the language and used it even then. However, it became the absolute principle of life in 1989, after return from the Soviet Armed Forces. I started speaking Belarusian in everyday life and gave my answers at the lectures in the same way just then.

Euroradio: It turns out that the Soviet army made you a conscious Belarusians?

Ihar Marzaliuk: The Soviet army stirred the national feelings in absolutely everyone who went through it, including Belarusians.

Euroradio: You are the only Belarusian-speaking senator. Is it easy for you to find a common language with the officials?

Ihar Marzaliuk: You have an exaggerated idea of ​​the officials’ fear of Belarusian national idea. Not every “reviver” speaks Belarusian so well and beautifully. Another thing , they don’t use the language, while Belarusian language must be promoted and advertised, as there’s no territory for the Belarusian language except Belarus.

Euroradio: Are not you worried that they close down Belarusian classes, high schools?

Ihar Marzaliuk: Belarusian classes are closed, because parents do not file corresponding application, or too few of them do it. Choosing of the language to be educated at is an internal conflict between the Belarusian nation and the people.

Euroradio: And how many people in the Council of Republic have you motivated to speak Belarusian?

Ihar Marzaliuk: All my speeches were in Belarusian. Moreover, I will tell you a dark secret: most of the members of the Council of Republic speak Belarusian perfectly! If you take the so-called new opposition as an example, we can argue on whether there would be more Belarusians! I'm talking about the fighters for a new Europe, in which gays feel totally comfortable but you can forget about  the Belarusian language. I'm a traditionalist! If you say you love the language, you must love your tradition. The Belarusian tradition is Christian identity. A family is a union between a man and a woman. Everything else is not a family in our cultural tradition. And Pope John Paul was absolutely right to call homosexuality and lesbianism a culture of death. God is life and multiplication of children is a continuation of the endless chain of life.

Euroradio: What is your attitude to national symbols?

Ihar Marzaliuk: I respect all those symbols that have ever been the state symbols of our country. So I would never tear neither of the flags into pieces. I know the state anthem by heart, as well as the state emblem. Also, I have great respect for the symbols, under which the Republic of Belarus exists now. Changing symbols should be done according to the results of the referendum. I see no other way to change the symbols. However, I want to remind everyone that the coat of arms "Сhaser" has been approved and recognized by the Ministry of Culture as a historical and cultural value of Belarus, has a corresponding registered number.

Euroradio: What is your attitude to death penalty?

Ihar Marzaliuk: I am a consistent supporter of the death penalty. The death penalty is not a demonic murder but a harsh punishment to a person who has crossed the border, crossed themselves from the society and lost the right to be called a human.

Euroradio: What do you think about the "Plan for the modernization of Belarus”, proposed by the EU?

Ihar Marzaliuk: It depends what you mean by modernization - economic, social, political. Maybe someone is in delight by what is happening in Europe in the culltural, political, legal field, but I’m not. My European ideals are in the past - I prefer the Victorian British Empire. Not because they were colonizers, but they had a more sincere position. Europe is sick in socialism in the worst sense of the word. All their problems come from this. As for the fact that we should be upgraded - it's a fact.

Euroradio: It is a pity for the people whom the world calls political prisoners ...

Ihar Marzaliuk: There are trial procedures, there are appropriate laws – whether they like them or not, they must follow them. Secondly, how can we explain the behavior of people who, even before the official announcement of the election results, announce their triumphant victory, waving some papers to form a government of national trust? Do you think that if this is qualified as an attempted coup, it is not correct? Most interesting is that the same people were first called "KGB rats" and then became prisoners of conscience. First – the "Headphone", and then he became a prisoner of conscience. And if a person is in jail under an economic article – tax evasion, and if there is an undeclared sum of half a billion euros in his personal account, according to the tax inspections of the EU, tell me - why is this considered a politically motivated case?

Euroradio: What is your attitude to the "black list" of Belarusian musicians?

Ihar Marzaliuk: The more we do not allow any kind of music or art work - the more we raise the popularity ratings of it. "Black lists"  is not a good idea, it just creates unhealthy excitement. This is in case the "black list" truly exists.

Euroradio: What should we expect from you as a senator - any initiatives?

Ihar Marzaliuk: For the spring session, I am preparing a proposal for the protection of the archaeological heritage, I do museumfication of the Bykhau castle, including  legal aspects. I'm going to defend the national interests of Belarus with the position of the Belarusian state in the harmonization of national legislation in the CIS countries and Belarus in particular. I am a member of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS and I work in the committee for defense and security.

Photo: msu.mogilev.by www.vestnikmogileva.by arche.by www.zvyazda.minsk.by