"Workers Ask Tsertsel Tough Questions, Interrupts, Catch Him In Lie"

There has been a radical change in people's minds in Belarus.

Historian Aliaksandr Pashkevich has commented to gazetaby.com on the Hrodna Azot plant workers' reaction to the statements of KGB chairman Ivan Tsertsel.

During the personal communication on December 17, the head of the KGB, among other things, spoke about deceased Aliaksandr Taraikouski in this way:

- Anyone who saw these photos - saw that the man is standing in front of riot police, he has come out - and is brazenly standing in front of the police. He is standing purposefully.

The reaction of the workers to Tertel's speech was tough, he was asked critical questions. For instance, they asked where the "Russian puppeteers" had disappeared.

Historian Aliaksandr Pashkevich has commented on the conversation between Hrodna Azot workers and the KGB head:

- The atmosphere in which such meetings take place clearly shows how conditional Lukashenka's "successes" in suppressing the protest movement are...

The main goal has not been reached by the regime with its batons, fines and detentions! It is clearly aimed at sowing fear and unwillingness to stick one's neck out, just on the level of instincts. Which is not even close to being the case right now. For example, here: such a sinister figure arrives at the company, and everyone is supposed to tremble before this Tsertsel in fear of causing offence and drawing attention to himself. Given the total legal collapse, disputes with him can cause a lot of problems, even a fool can understand that.

But people do not tremble! Not a common worker, but the head of the workshop asks an inconvenient question, they applaud him, they interrupt the KGB chairman, they argue with him, they catch him in a lie... Someone is recording everything that happens, and then leaks it to the media.

And this happens everywhere, at any meetings. There is no longer the mass fear even in front of the security ministers, it does not come back. And without it, repression, pure and simple, can hardly work for too long.