INTERVIEW: Over Br400 million allocated in Vitebsk region for restoration of places of military glory

VICTORY IN WORTHY HANDS May 9 is a holiday honoring the living witnesses of history, people who, with their own blood and courage, won us the right to a peaceful and happy life. Every year, marching in the Victory Parade, we pay tribute to them, thereby confirming that we are proud, remember, and honor the feat accomplished. This is not just a beautiful gesture. Support for veterans and war participants is provided in Belarus on an ongoing basis. Their concerns are always at the center of the authorities' attention. Gennady Gerasimovich, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Council of the Public Association of Veterans, told a BELTA correspondent about how veterans live today, what concerns and pleases them, and with what feelings they are celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. - Gennady Andreevich, veterans and war participants in our country are the most respected category of the population. To what extent do veterans feel cared for by the authorities? - In Belarus, more than in any other country in the post-Soviet space, assistance and support for veterans are provided at the highest level. Today, the issue of providing telephones to apartments and houses of war participants has been fully resolved. Housing problems are being promptly addressed. Departments for round-the-clock stay of lonely elderly people operate at territorial centers for social services for the population. Social housing is provided to those who wish. In Vitebsk, recently, orders for new apartments were handed over to the last six veterans in need of improved housing conditions. Perhaps this does not always suit relatives who are subsequently claiming the property. However, it should be understood that it is not they, but their parents and grandfathers, who won the right to special treatment from the state. These are their benefits and merits, they are the ones who won. The issue of health improvement and sanatorium-resort treatment was resolved four years ago, and comprehensive medical examinations are regularly conducted. In the Vitebsk region, on the eve of the 65th anniversary of the Victory, 3,783 disabled and participants of the Great Patriotic War, and 7,518 former prisoners of Nazi concentration camps underwent examinations. Individual medical rehabilitation programs have been developed for them, regulating medical, drug, sanatorium-resort provision, as well as dental and hearing prosthetics. 835 disabled and war participants, and 463 former concentration camp prisoners received inpatient treatment. To improve their inpatient care, 186 wards of increased comfort with 452 beds have been allocated in the region's hospitals. Over 1.5 thousand disabled veterans of the Great Patriotic War are under dispensary observation in the region's medical institutions. Thus, all those in need were able to improve their health. The problem lies elsewhere: the youngest veterans are now over 80 years old, many are over 90. Age takes its toll. - Public organizations are also not standing aside... - Yes, this year, together with the regional committee of the BRSM and the Vitebsk regional branch of the Belarusian Peace Fund, congratulatory cards were made for each war veteran, which were presented by young people. This is a kind and necessary deed. In addition, on the eve of the holiday, veteran organizations, together with youth and trade unions, carried out extensive work to tidy up places of military glory, memorials, and military graves. For these purposes, our organizations collected about Br40 million, and Br400 million was allocated from the regional budget. These funds were used for restoration work at the officers' cemetery in the village of Stasevo, Liozno district, large military burials in the villages of Staroye Selo and Shapy, Vitebsk district, and the memorial sign at the site of the burned village of Zolotukha in the Dokshitsy district was restored. And this is far from a complete list. - The issue of using St. George's ribbons as attributes is widely discussed in the press and on the Internet. Some perceive it as a sign of memory, an expression of patriotic feelings. Others consider it an insult to veterans. Express your point of view. - The St. George's ribbon and everything connected with the feat of the people are sacred. These signs and symbols should be treated with care and reverence. Their use is permissible, but first, everything should be thought through. There should be a sense of proportion in everything. For example, recently in Moldova, Victory Day greetings and St. George's ribbons were placed on garbage bins. Nothing more foolish could be invented! That is why Moldovan veterans are rightly outraged. This is not a congratulation, but an insult to their feelings, a mockery of their feat. For comparison, let's take the billboards in Vitebsk "Person of the Year," "Native Land," "My Belarus," decorated with a St. George's ribbon. This is done beautifully and with dignity. The use of this symbol of Victory here is appropriate, it evokes pride in our people, our country, carries a charge of patriotism, love for the Motherland, and respect for the generation of victors. Therefore, I emphasize once again: there must be a sense of proportion in everything. - The issue of attempts to rewrite history also remains relevant... - My attitude towards this is categorically negative. I do not consider pseudo-historians who twist historical truth for their own interests to be scientists. This is blasphemy! I hold the same opinion regarding other "figures" who hide behind history or distort its facts. In particular, take the website "Belorusskiy Partizan." Of course, people who want to learn more about the Great Patriotic War will visit an internet resource with such a name. However, what will they see there? Only information that disgraces veterans and war participants, distorts history and our modern life. This is unacceptable, and such cases must be stopped! - A lot of work is being done today to patriotically educate young people. In your opinion, how developed is this feeling among young people? - I think if trouble strikes, our youth will be no less patriotic than the generation of veterans and all war participants were in their time. Today's young people are more educated and practical. But there are also hooligans and vandals who destroy our sacred places, not thinking about what they are doing. It is gratifying that they do not define the face of today's youth. The predominant part of our young people are good guys who make a worthy contribution to continuing the glorious combat and labor traditions of their fathers and grandfathers, to the prosperity of their native Belarus. - Search parties, who are restoring the names of fallen heroes, can be called unique keepers of the memory of the Great Patriotic War... - This is indeed true. In the Vitebsk region, Anatoly Burdo, Larisa Brueva, and Alexey Gavrutikov are sincerely devoted to this cause. Their contribution is truly invaluable. For example, Alexey Gavrutikov from the Dubrovno district alone has identified over 17,000 names of the fallen in the last 7 years. In 2009 alone, over 1,300 surnames of servicemen who died and were buried in the Vitebsk region during the Great Patriotic War and were considered unknown for a long time were identified. It is noteworthy that search parties inspire others with their enthusiasm. - The 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War is a significant date for the entire Belarusian people. Undoubtedly, it means a lot to veterans as well. With what feelings do you meet this great holiday? - For all of us, especially war participants, May 9 is a symbol of the victory of life over death, good over evil. Therefore, every year we meet this date with pride, joy, and hope that everything will be fine. The celebration of the Great Victory is our bow to those who won. It is gratifying that unique people who went through the war from beginning to end will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Victory with us. For example, this is retired border guard Colonel Alexey Fedorovich Pavlov, who turned 93, who miraculously survived at the beginning of the war. A week before the war, he was wounded at the border and sent to a hospital in Minsk. From there, he began his front-line journey. 96-year-old Hero of the Soviet Union Leonid Nikolaevich Filipenko, awarded eight orders. Pilot Valentin Timofeevich Serebryakov, who recently received the Order of Honor for many years of fruitful work, a significant personal contribution to the heroic-patriotic education of youth, and assistance in resolving social issues of veterans. We have many people whom we rightly take pride in. The main thing is that they are with us and continue to actively work with young people despite their age. Olga BOCHEVA, BELTA.-0-