What did Alexander Lukashenko talk about at the meeting with the Belarusian media community

Our Responsibility is One for All — to Preserve the Country and Protect Peace

What are the battles on the information front fought for, why is an ideological filter needed in the media sphere, why is it impossible to create "parallel worlds" of universal prosperity in the media and to hush up sensitive topics? What did the President warn about and what priorities did he set for the mass media

The Forum of the Belarusian Media Community in Mogilev brought together over a thousand journalists, media executives, bloggers, experts, and communication specialists from all over the country. The communication took place in a very warm and relaxed atmosphere. A frank and useful conversation for everyone took place with the participation of the Head of State about the role of journalists in the context of societal transformation, about information confrontation, propaganda and counter-propaganda, and about what kind of media agenda we need today. According to Alexander Lukashenko, time itself has brought the profession of a journalist to the forefront, making the media community a powerful factor in political discourse:

— I know that you feel the nerve of the era of information confrontation, or the so-called war of meanings, like no one else. You live by it. In this reality, you are both fighters, defenders, strategists, and tacticians, and information is a resource, a commodity, and a weapon… Our responsibility is one for all — to preserve the country and protect peace. We know what we are fighting for. For the sovereignty of Belarus, our national dignity, the future of our children. There will be no calm, quiet weather on this information front where we are fighting. This makes it more interesting in this regard. We are heirs of the victors, so we must win. We have no other way. Because time has chosen us!

"Timely and Large-Scale"

Before the start of the forum, its participants laid flowers at Victory Square. Then, at the Regional Palace of Culture, the Head of State was presented with an exhibition of multimedia projects by regional media, which have been implemented over the past two years. Among them are projects focused on preserving historical memory, telling about the deeds of Nazi criminals on the territory of Belarus, diverse children's and youth content, and stories about foreigners who have linked theirdestiny with Belarus, and many others.

Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Vladimir Pertsov informed that when implementing a particular project, its effectiveness is primarily assessed — circulation, audience rating of viewers and readers.

— This is the most important thing, — Alexander Lukashenko emphasized.

In general, the Belarusian leader called the media forum very timely and large-scale. But at the same time, he expressed the opinion that the scale of such events should be even larger. And such forums should be held not for one, but for two or three days. After all, this is an excellent opportunity to exchange opinions, experience, discuss trends in the media sphere with colleagues, and outline new projects. And perhaps, to work on the land, which brings people together excellently. Like, for example, a competition among journalists for chopping firewood.

— But it is already important that we met here, — noted Alexander Lukashenko. — A thousand people gathered from all over the country.  

Attending such events, you write the history of your life, and this is one of the pages. And I really want this page to be memorable for journalists.

"The Media Community is a Powerful Actor in Political Discourse"

The theme of this year's forum is "The Role of a Journalist in the Conditions of Societal Transformation." It is always relevant, and today, in the era of information confrontation, or the so-called war of meanings, it is doubly relevant. Addressing the forum participants, President Alexander Lukashenko specified:

— These are the times. They have brought the profession of a journalist to the forefront, making the media community a powerful actor in political discourse. In this reality, you are both fighters, and defenders, and strategists, and tacticians, and information is both a resource, and a commodity, and today, a weapon. But when the country is under the gun of aggressive propaganda, a warrior is not only a journalist. 

Therefore, heads and employees of republican and regional media, bloggers and experts in the field of communications, representatives of specialized universities and ideological assets, press secretaries of republicantheir state administration bodies, organizations, as well as representatives of state bodies overseeing information policy issues. In short, everyone who is at the forefront of shaping information policy and protecting the state's information sovereignty. Each at their own level, in accordance with their official duties.

"Information warfare is a prelude to the hot phase of confrontation"

Addressing the media community, the Head of State also specifically emphasized that everyone is working together today:

— We all share one responsibility – to preserve the country and protect peace. You have studied history, you think analytically, you see analogies, you know what it means to bear this responsibility on your shoulders.

The Belarusian leader added that he closely follows the rhetoric of Belarusian journalists and experts, especially those who are constantly in the public eye. They deeply understand the issue of hybrid aggression, which the country has been facing since it took its first sovereign steps: when it held referendums, saved public property, and made crucial decisions itself. Alexander Lukashenko draws attention:

— And ever since it became clear that we would pursue an independent policy, we have been living under constant criticism, lies, and absurd accusations. This is terabytes of fabricated and generously paid-for media fakes wrapped in a pretty package.

A lot of negativity is directed personally at journalists, their relatives and loved ones. And all of this has to be processed with mind and heart. The President understands this perfectly:

— A colossal burden that requires colossal concentration of efforts to protect one's information space. But there is no other way. Only in this way can the sovereignty of a country located at the epicenter of global geopolitical contradictions be preserved.


The Head of State shared his observation with the forum participants. In particular, that concepts such as "information warfare," "mental warfare," "post-truth," and others have only recently appeared in our lexicon, literallabout 6–7 years ago. Meanwhile, the phenomena they call it are as old as humanity itself, the Belarusian leader is convinced:

— An information war is a prelude to a hot phase of confrontation. It is disinformation, an attempt to mislead the supposed enemy, to plunge them into a fog of useless information. It is an attempt to confuse, to make them doubt their values, beliefs, and strengths. The plot is as ancient as the world.

Free Market is a Western Myth

Touching upon the creation of various myths, the Head of State gave a vivid example that could be observed in the period after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In particular, the thesis about the free market. According to the Belarusian leader, it was imposed deliberately:

— There is no free market (supply and demand), and there never has been. And this thesis was imposed on us by the United States of America. They had it simple: their economy is based on paper. Unfortunately, since we all swallowed this paper bait, it holds up successfully. I mean the dollar. They regulate relations in the world, they strangle, they support, they do whatever they want.

Alexander Lukashenko has always relied on different values in his policy and has been down-to-earth, which is why our country has chosen a different path, preserving both industry and agriculture, but not abandoning, for example, privatization. The same post-Soviet republics that rushed headlong into the market received practically nothing. 

However, the Head of State cited China as a successful example of development, whose model he urged to follow back in his parliamentary days:

— China has reached such heights partly because it has not abandoned planning. Everything in this life is planned and regulated. Everything else is meant to bring us down, to bring us to our knees.

The President emphasizes that Belarus has not abandoned planning for a year or five years:

— The economy is the foundation and basis of everything, of society's life in general… We have not strayed far, so we have endured. We rely primarily on hands and brains. Thanks to this, we have survived.

"Truth and Nothing But The

Truth

"Fake," "deepfake"... Behind each of these phenomena lies ordinary lies, distortion of facts, falsehood, forgery. That is why the President is convinced:

— We all need to call a spade a spade more often. To explain complex things simply and clearly. After 2020, we talked a lot about responsible journalism.  

We agreed to bet on the truth, even if it doesn't sound bright and sensational. The basis should be the truth. Truth and only truth – that's the most important thing.  

We were aware that it would be difficult for us to compete with destructive sources. But look what's happening. Those who fled openly say today that they have no leverage over the country except sanctions. Yes, life has taught Belarusians to think critically and verify information before drawing conclusions. Or to ignore it if it cannot be verified. This is a small, but a victory. Your victory. A victory, including for those who rigorously verified the stream of dirt poured on us back then.

Be Prepared for Any Provocations

During a difficult period for the country, journalists worked excellently in conjunction with law enforcement agencies. So much so that the created programs became a manual for protecting the country's information sovereignty.

But the Belarusian leader never tires of repeating that one cannot relax. Because he perfectly understands what the loss of concentration, indifference, and in some places, a negligent attitude to one's work can turn into for the country.

Alexander Lukashenko emphasizes that the most large-scale hybrid pressure from the West in modern history is not weakening. The promotion of an anti-Belarusian position in the international political and legal field, the radicalization of extremist platforms, the spinning up of sanctions, and attempts to drag Belarus into military conflicts force us to constantly "be in shape," and Alexander Lukashenko directly warns about this:

— We must be prepared for any provocations, including informational ones.

According to the President, this was discussed in detail during the All-Belarusian People's Assembly, where it was approveddeveloped the Concept of National Security of Belarus:

— The document defines internal and external threats in the information sphere. Necessary decisions have been made, the legal framework has been established, and measures to support the production of national information products have been ensured. Now is the time to synchronize and specify the tasks.

"The only measure of success for any media outlet is audience interest"

The uniqueness of the Belarusian leader lies in the fact that he always delves deeply into the specifics of any phenomenon that affects the country's destiny and development in one way or another. It's exactly the same with the media. The President sees both movement, and shortcomings, and progress. He is now being informed that the system for training future journalists has been seriously restructured, with an emphasis on practical activities, and this is how Alexander Lukashenko assesses it:

— Our seasoned journalists are involved in the training process. This is correct. We need to strengthen the pool of like-minded people, train followers. Based on truth. Otherwise, young future journalists will not...will understand and, most importantly, will not accept what we are trying to offer them.

The Head of State stated that traditional media are expanding their presence in the most popular segments of the information space:

— Interesting authorial, analytical, and entertainment projects have appeared, and importantly, they are popular and well-known abroad. Regional press has received a new impetus for development.

In Belarus, they have opted for the creation of media holdings. According to Alexander Lukashenko, this has allowed many to be modernizedизданий, укрепить творческий и технический потенциалы. И работа в данном направлении будет продолжена. Если сами игроки медиарынка будут с этим согласны.

При этом Президент подчеркивает:

— Но вы знаете, единственный измеритель успешности любого средства массовой информации — интерес аудитории. А то, что вас активно смотрят, слушают, читают, в том числе и ярые оппоненты, цитируют деструктивные ресурсы, — это успех, и он очевиден. Вы сегодня формируете повестку.

However, we cannot relax, as our adversaries are also learning from their mistakes and improving. The Belarusian leader warns media representatives:

— One must not underestimate the potential of those who view Belarus as a geopolitical target. This is not a gang of freelancers, but a network of political scientists and information-psychological centers armed with the most advanced technologies. You cannot even imagine the money circulating there.  

Therefore, we must look at ourselves critically. To become even more successful, even better. The Year of Quality obliges us. And time demands it.

"The heroic history of the Soviet people is our main teacher"

The symbolism of the current forum is that it takes place during the victorious May. Recently, the country celebrated Victory Day. Another important date is ahead – the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders. Alexander Lukashenko emphasizes:

— The heroic history of the Soviet people is our greatest asset. It is our main teacher. 

During that war, during the occupation of Belarus, a fierce battle for the future was waged – not only on the front lines, but also on the pages of printed publications, on radio waves. Collaborators who swore allegiance to Hitler printed poems and prose in the press in the occupied territories. It told about the "bright future" of Belarusians under the rule of "Great Germany" with a focus on the "new Europe," spread myths about the atrocities of partisans, Bolsheviks, and others, and promised some kind of "freedoms." We know the price of these "freedoms" and the new "European future" – every third resident of Belarus. Or perhaps every second one, considering the Prosecutor General's investigation into genocide.

And what has changed today in the rhetoric of modern information sources engaged by the West – social networks, Telegram channels, all sorts of chats? The narratives are the same. Only the targets are new. Then they discredited the image of the Soviet Union. Today, they trample on Belarus and Russia, and other states. Here and there, they attack the President, his family, security forces, civil servants, and public figures.ным личностям. Людям, занявшим активную государственную позицию.

"We know what we are fighting for"

The Head of State noted that on Victory Day and Independence Day, we unfairly rarely remember military correspondents:

— They also destroyed the enemy. They destroyed with words that gave strength to the Red Army soldiers and inspired them to fight for our Motherland. They won. We also have many victories behind us on the information front. We know what we are fighting for. For the sovereignty of Belarus, our national dignity, the future of our children.


The President thanked all representatives of the media community for their work, high professionalism, integrity, devotion to their native country, and courage:

— Never be afraid of anyone. You are on your own land. Otherwise, how do you differ from those fugitives who ran away and are now trembling there, so as not to lose their jobs or grab some penny, to continue fighting against our country. And they don't even give money for media there anymore. Only to individuals. Everything that is directed against us is under the control of special services. Of course, not Polish or Lithuanian ones. There, they (Americans. — Editorial note) are already in charge and operating. But they give money for weapons, armed struggle, for capturing at least a patch of land in Belarus. They need this. Americans first of all. Not even Europeans.

Alexander Lukashenko warns:

— There will be no lull, no calm weather on this information front where we are fighting. This makes it more interesting in this regard. This means you will always have drive and inspiration. We are heirs of the victors. Therefore, we must win. We have no other way. Because time has chosen us!

How can Belarusian media become even more successful?

The President outlined seven priorities in the work of mass media

Speaking about the development of mass media at the present stage, the Head of State outlined areas where further improvement is needed.

FIRST. Form a national information broadcasting style

RegardingAccording to Alexander Lukashenko, it is necessary to concentrate on forming a national information broadcasting style with an increased share of high-quality, competitive domestic product production:

— I am not calling for abandoning foreign content, but everything we buy must correspond to our way of life, traditions, culture, and mentality. At the very least, we must not clutter our airwaves with bloody, immoral, and vulgar stories. I have spoken about this before. An ideological filter is needed.

SECOND. Expand the pool of experts

Alexander Lukashenko noted that we have emerging prominent speakers and analysts, but they cannot be overused:

— Otherwise, we will lose the viewer's interest, who is accustomed to a constant change of images and emotions. You know this.  

New faces are needed. Moreover, it is necessary to search for such experts both in the regions and in various industries. 

We are fixated on Minsk, on geopolitics. But where are the opinion leaders among doctors, teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs — professionals in their fields? They exist. There are hundreds, if not thousands of them. People know them and trust their opinions in their work collectives. Let their voices be heard louder.

The Head of State separately commented on authorial journalism. This genre, he said, requires colossal effort, and, as a rule, authorial projects are not created by one person but by a team of professionals. At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko is confident that the quality of authorial journalism in the domestic information space must grow. He directed media managers to focus on this, tasking them with setting a certain standard for authors that cannot be lowered, as well as strengthening professional training.

THIRD. Strengthen propaganda, counter-propaganda, and ideological work

The President urged not to shy away from these words and concepts:

— Or do they not exist in the West? They do. They just call it by another word — "PR." That is, working with public opinion. The essence is the same. So let them work with public opinion on their territory. We do not need to be fed empty talk.more about allegedly independent media, democratic values.

We, however, see how they throw their journalists into prison, closing media outlets and persecuting everyone who dared to disagree with the policies and actions of the authorities. There are plenty of examples – from the United States and the European Union to Moldova, the Baltics, Ukraine, and Georgia.

Here, some may try to draw parallels with the situation in Belarus in 2020, however, this, according to the President, is an absolutely incorrect comparison. In Belarus, the claims against individual journalists were not due to their opinions or positions, but because they behaved like traitors – they started to break and shatter the country.

— We fought against this. Including holding journalists accountable – for violating laws, — emphasized Alexander Lukashenko.

FOURTH. Make the peaceful agenda vibrant

The President perfectly understands that, from the point of view of professional realization, it is more interesting to "fight" on the information front, as the stories turn out to be more watchable. But here is the recommendation he gives to journalists:

—It is necessary to make the peace agenda bright and memorable. Today, the peculiarity is that people already want to see the peace agenda.

As an example, Alexander Lukashenko cited articles and stories about rural workers, grain growers – such stories are always close to people. He emphasizes:

— There must be a balance of militant and creative materials – equally bright. We need to come out with such stories and plots on popular digital platforms much more often, translating and voicing the facts into other languages.

FIFTH

E. Do not create "parallel worlds" in the mediaAnother important point that the Belarusian leader draws attention to:

— I have never demanded to filter information, creating "parallel worlds" of general prosperity in the media and silencing sensitive topics. You know my approach. People should see and know the truth. And it is useful for someone to draw conclusions.

At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko is aware that some local leaders react very painfully to "washing dirty linen in public" and considers this a bad trend:


— There is no need to hide problems, to retouch them. They exist in every country. But they should be covered objectively, without exaggerating.

At the same time, it is important that different points of view, including critical ones, are presented both on air and in print. However, not in the form of carping, which we are already bombarded with from all sides, but in a business-like manner, so that it has an effect, the Head of State adds. A remark for officials as well:

— Nobody has cancelled my decision that the addressee of any remark or criticism in the media, against whom it is directed, must respond. Does this always happen?

And a request to the journalists themselves to maintain a balance of positive and problematic materials, and not to create some kind of "little worlds" where everything is fine:

— The state does not need this. And I don't need it either. I emphasize again: there is no need to break or shatter anything. The pen and the word you wield today have always been a very dangerous thing. Therefore, you must know how to use them. Use them. Where necessary, criticize, but where necessary, praise.

It is necessary to maintain a balance of positive and problematic materials in the media, and not to lean towards everything being fine, Alexander Lukashenko is convinced.

SIXTH. The niche of print media is smart analytics and sharp publicism

The Presidential Administration adheres to the opinion that at the current stage of society's development, newspapers and magazines should become elite media in a good sense, without irony. The Head of State expressed his opinion on this matter with a degree of doubt:

— Perhaps. God grant that it happens. Everyone is increasingly talking about paper publications, like theatre, being high art. A flattering status, but it must be justified.  

Do not try to compete in promptness with Internet resources. It's useless. The niche of print media is smart analytics and sharp publicism. Each publication should have its own heroes.

SEVENTH. Be more active in the digital environment

The Belarusian leader also touched upon the development of the Internet. In his opinion, ita challenge, as the information field is developing without borders, and in all senses:

— The lack of moral and ethical boundaries is particularly concerning. No matter how difficult it may be, we must respond to this challenge, we cannot escape it. Our journalists and experts must be more active in the digital environment. It is important to learn to counter artificial intelligence in recognizing fakes created by it. This is difficult. But necessary. We have not yet thought deeply in this direction, but we see that the time has come.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, the internet has special significance and can be viewed from both positive and negative sides:

— Along with being a trash heap, as some call it, it is also the greatest achievement. And we need to learn to use the internet (to use it for the benefit of the country's development. — Ed.). We have started doing this, our journalists.

Summing up, the Head of State expressed confidence that the media forum participants will offer new ideas that will, among other things, provide solutions to the identified problem issues.

"If there is no audacity, it is no longer journalism. But it is wrong to offend people"

And what kind of media forum would it be without a press conference. Our President is always open to journalists. The media representatives gladly took advantage of this opportunity this time as well.

Do not tolerate shortcomings

Lyubov Matyushonok, a representative of the district publishing house "Shklov-Info", asked the Head of State to talk about his own early attempts at writing. It turns out that in winter, Alexander Lukashenko used to carry his poems 15 kilometers to the Shklov district newspaper, hoping they would be published.

Lyubov Matyushonok

— The editor at the time was, I think, Leonid Antipenko. He looked at them and said, "What kind of poems are these? This is prose in verse." And I walked back those 15 kilometers, and I was so offended. I thought my poems were good... I thought: if there had been a young journalist movement back then, I would definitely have become a journalist.

Answering the question about what he wouldwrote that if he had become a journalist, Alexander Lukashenko said that he would definitely criticize the shortcomings and fight them:

— Since childhood, I have seen the shortcomings of rural life. I saw difficulties, complexities, a lot of injustice. And I desperately wanted to fix all this.

In this regard, Alexander Lukashenko addressed the journalists with the following words:

— I ask you not to put up with shortcomings. But do it very carefully. It is very easy to pour dirt on someone and on yourself. We must not lose the country. We need to protect and preserve the country, preserve its sovereignty and independence. This is the main thing. If you lose your country, it will not get better.

"So that there is a fist in the district"

Editor-in-chief of the Dokshitsy district newspaper "Rodnyya Vytoki" Alexander Voronkov is interested: does the regional press fall into the review of mass media, which is prepared daily for the Head of State?


— Listening to you, I caught myself thinking several times that I know almost nothing about what you are writing. I came to the conclusion for myself that I will fix this, — said Alexander Lukashenko. — I think that central channels should also pay more attention to their colleagues at the grassroots level. And the кадры — we will see people, and lift them up. I promise you that there will be significantly more materials from you in the review. We will select the best.

At the same time, the Head of State considers it necessary to improve regional media in terms of their influence and authority:

— So that there is a fist in the district. And this fist should be relatively independent.

WHAT ELSE THE PRESIDENT TALKED ABOUT AT THE MEDIA FORUM

About the war in Ukraine

The Head of State noted that the views of the European Union countries and the USA do not coincide on a number of issues:

— Different goals. Europe clearly understands that this war is in their home. It should not be, it is not needed.


According to the President, Europeans, being against the continuation of the war, give in to the United States and do not object because they are afraid. As Alexander Lukashenko said, in a conversation withhis Russian colleague Vladimir Putin, he also discussed this topic — why Europeans fear Americans. The reasons are primarily economic.

— Complete dependence (in the economy. — Editorial note) on the United States of America. They print this money and give it to Ukraine. And we consume all this in the form of inflation, — the President explained.

On the defense of the country

During his speech at the forum, Alexander Lukashenko stated that he is doing everything to ensure that there is no war:

— I am sure that the vast majority (of people. — Editorial note) in Belarus do not want war. Breaking life and rotting in trenches is not needed by any Belarusian. Therefore, I do not want war and I am doing everything to prevent it.

At the same time, the Head of State considers it extremely important to take into account the historical experience of the Great Patriotic War, the beginning of which, as Alexander Lukashenko noted, the leaders did not predict and did not properly prepare for:

— Therefore, we cannot miss it. I always tell the military: we must prepare for this. That's why we are building defensive lines on the western border of our country. I am trying to convey to the people through you (media representatives. — Editorial note) what is happening now, and to react accordingly. But this does not mean that Lukashenko is an "aggressor," as they shout and scream there, especially in Poland, and wants war. I, more than millions of Belarusians, cannot accept and do not want war.

"GOLDEN LETTER" FOR THE PRESIDENT

After Alexander Lukashenko finished answering journalists' questions, Vladimir Pertsov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, noted that the current forum program includes the twentieth, юбилейная ceremony of summing up the results of the competition among print media journalists "Golden Letter":

— And I would like to, esteemed Alexander Grigoryevich, on behalf of all participants of the media forum, to present you with a statuette — the "Golden Letter."
The President accepted the award with gratitude and jokingly remarked:

— I wanted to ask what for, and he says: Border Guard Day. Thank you! We will find a place for it in the Palace of Independence.

 

"VITEBSKIYE VESTI", "BELTA"