Over 260 people in a day: residents of the agro-town of Novka break voter turnout records
We want to live in peace
…There is a truly festive atmosphere on the streets of the agro-town of Novka, just a few kilometers from Vitebsk. Music is playing. There is unusual liveliness near the House of Culture for a weekday. People are gradually gathering here in streams – they come with families, friends, and colleagues.
– To be honest, we didn't expect such activity ourselves, admits chairperson of the polling station commission No. 18 Tatyana Didorenko to an sb.by journalist. – In just three days, a quarter of the voters have already visited us. Yesterday's number was 260 people! Initially, pensioners, teachers, kindergarten educators, employees of the House of Culture itself, and the local sports complex voted actively. Now, workers of the agricultural enterprise "Rudakovo", specialists of the greenhouse economy, and other categories of citizens are coming in a dense stream.
Activity as a Stance
Indeed, there are still about ten minutes left before the polling station opens after the lunch break, and there is already a considerable queue in the foyer by the doors. About 30 people are eager to fulfill their civic duty. The villagers are not wasting time: they are actively discussing the main provisions of the draft Constitution. Each person reasons from their own personal point of view. For one, social guarantees are important; for another, healthcare issues. A third analyzes the distribution of functions between the branches of government. And former military man Igor Sergeevich, gesturing actively, discusses topics of patriotism and assures his interlocutors: peacefulness is a two-sided concept. Otherwise, he says, it will be about defending the Fatherland.
Observing the discussion, I wonder: why have so many voters gathered at the same time?
– Nobody forced us to come here, – smiles the next interviewee, vegetable grower Vera Atrashkevich, preempting the question. – I chose a convenient moment. That's why I dropped by. And so did others. Who knows what I'll be doing on the weekend? I have four grandchildren!
Pensioner Nikolai Prokopenko is also concerned about the fate of his grandchildren. By profession, he is an economist and organizer of agricultural production. He worked in a collective farm and taught at a technical school – his professional path was full of challenges.
– I will vote for the future of the younger generation, – the voter reports clearly. – Here, in Novka, live my two sons and four grandchildren. I want the achievements for which we worked for many decades not to be destroyed by the will of frivolous politicians pushing nations into fratricidal war. Yes, I have studied the project thoroughly. I listened to the President's speech. I agree: much has been done, and even more remains to be done. That is why everyone must participate in creative endeavors. As stated in Article 21 of the updated Constitution. Today, my grandchildren are involved in sports, drawing, and ballroom dancing – there are all the opportunities to develop their talents and, in the future, to ensure their own well-being in particular and the well-being of the country as a whole. I am for them to have even more opportunities. By the way, in previous years, I had to head various election commissions more than once. I would like to note the current activity of the population. These queues at the polling station, first and foremost, indicate that people are genuinely concerned about the future of our country. And this is good. Look at what is happening in Ukraine lately?! We must learn lessons and prevent a similar situation of national disunity in our Belarus.
From Elders to the Young
…Fully supports her fellow villager, and mother of three children, Victoria Surovec. Young specialists – teachers of the local school, employees of OJSC Rudakovo – are waiting for their turn to receive ballots with their passports in hand. They are confident that the updated Constitution gives them the opportunity for comprehensive self-realization, both creatively and professionally, not only in the city but also in the countryside. The energetic young female teachers, who recently arrived at the rural school under assignment, quote Alexander Lukashenko verbatim: "Youth is not only the future, but also our present." And they proudly declare:
– Since the President himself said that we are direct participants in the social and political life of the country today, it is our duty to justify this trust. To ensure that we become not just participants, but also reliable builders of the future state.
– There are many young men and women in Novka, – notes the commission chairperson Tatyana Didorenko. – There are 45 first-time voters in this precinct alone. But there are also elderly people. The elder is Lyubov Kuptsova, a former primary school teacher. In three years, she will celebrate her centenary. Anna Malyukova is not much younger – she will soon celebrate her 94th birthday. Of course, we will visit such venerable voters at home, as well as another 60 residents of Novka and nearby villages. For these purposes, 3 mobile teams of precinct commission members have been created. One of them will visit those who are in self-isolation – in accordance with the recommendations of the Central Election Commission and the Ministry of Health, the necessary protective equipment has already been purchased.
How will the official Referendum Day be held at the Novka polling station? The festive program is scheduled from morning till evening. Artists will perform at the House of Culture, and the Polotsk market of Vitebsk will organize mobile trade. In a word, everyone understands that the atmosphere should match the positive mood with which the residents of the agro-town are going to the referendum to fulfill their civic duty.
