‘Entire Belarus May Turn Into Bergamo’

Lukashenka is more concerned about cows rather than Belarusians.

Coronavirus outbreaks have already been recorded in different parts of Belarus. Doctors and patients inform about the critical situation in hospitals in Vitsebsk, Minsk and other cities. Nobody doubts that the coronavirus poses a fatal danger for everyone in our country.

Why are the authorities silent about the real scale of the pandemic in the country? Is the Italian scenario possible in Belarus? How to make the authorities introduce quarantine?

Charter97.org asked the activist of European Belarus from Brest, Palina-Sharenda Panasyuk, for comments.

- How would you comment on the situation with the coronavirus pandemic in Belarus?

- It is sad and logical. When this regime turns a blind eye to the epidemic and gives ridiculous recipes like driving a tractor and drinking vodka, it is natural that the virus will spread. The authorities can pretend that it does not exist, but Belarusians are ordinary people, they have no special qualities that could protect them from infection. Many other factors also count here: underdeveloped infrastructure, lack of quality medicine and technical support. I am not surprised that the authorities hide a lot.

Recently, a WHO representative, who just filled head with nonsense, told on Belarusian television that our country is doing fine. But it is not true. If Lukashenka says that there is no coronavirus, it does not mean that it listens to him.

- The authorities have already had to admit several deaths of coronavirus. More deaths have been registered with an official diagnosis of pneumonia. Can the situation begin to develop under the Italian scenario?

- It may already be developing according to this scenario. Again, it's not covered by the official press. The flow of information comes from below. People learn everything from people they know or the Internet. Likely, not only separate cities and districts but the whole Belarus may turn into one big Bergamo. At the same time, the regime will keep saying that everything is fine. I assume that hundreds of deaths can be written off for other diseases until it comes to a thousand and people and people start falling down in the streets like in China, while the authorities will turn a blind eye.

- What is the fault of Lukashenka and the authorities?

- For 25 years he has received hundreds of billions of dollars from Russia. He invested it not in modern equipment, including medical ones, but put it in his pocket. We can compare it with other countries that have introduced quarantine in an organized manner. People can get compensation for staying at home. It is also the delay of rent and taxes, even the organized supply of drugs and products. It is impossible at our state level. This regime has only learned to hold endless festivities and senseless harvest festivals. They did not prepare for such challenges. They did not have it in mind. We can see that now they are at a loss and bury their heads in the sand, issuing information in doses. Maybe they don't even realize that it's their fault. They are to blame. For other governments, citizens are people come first. They realize that it is necessary to maintain medicine at an appropriate level, renew technologies and so on. Belarus is simply underdeveloped technologically, so it will not be able to provide people with such quarantine as in other countries, even if it is announced.

- How would you comment on Lukashenka's boorish statements about people who died from coronavirus?

- I wasn't surprised. His statements show that he is more concerned about cows rather than citizens of Belarus. He values people less than the collective farm cattle.

The boorish statements are his lifestyle. He cannot speak in any other way than to insult everyone else. He does this because he sits behind a stone wall and feels safe. He's just a bastard. There is nothing else to expect from him.

- What do you think the Belarusian authorities are pursuing not quarantining the country?

- I have two children. One goes to kindergarten, another goes to school. According to my observations, the quarantine is being gradually introduced. Principals pretend it's not introduced. At school, my son was told that their holidays were extended and it was possible to write a statement that the child would not attend classes. Again, the wording was "for family reasons" not because of the Coronavirus epidemic. Teachers are afraid to speak out.

This regime hides in its world, in the 70s. Almost all officials are former Komsomol members. They are not psychologically and physically prepared for the challenges of the modern world, face them and act in such conditions. It is easier to turn a blind eye, take off responsibility and not to organize any activities.

- The head of Vitsebsk "Vitba" recently said that the company would work in a normal mode, "until more than half of its employees get sick". There are also many stories on the Internet that people are afraid to ask for a transfer to work remotely because of dismissal. How can one confront such situations? Will the authorities turn a blind eye to what is going on until things turn so bad?

- We see that the situation has not yet reached that critical level when people are no longer afraid of the authorities. People will stop paying attention to leadership when the epidemic affects everyone when the closest relatives get sick.

Now people are still afraid of losing even useless jobs. Losing a job, a person may lose the sense of living in the province. They can either leave or cling to these usually useless jobs.

In Brest, I observe that private centers have finally realized that it's necessary to shut down. It's easier for them to do than for state firms. The latter is a problem; people have been turned almost into slaves there. So far, their self-preservation instincts are poor. There are fewer people in the city; cafes are closing.

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