Nationwide subbotnik

President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko took part in the nationwide subbotnik [volunteer labour day] on April 12th, he worked on the construction site of the National History Museum and National Unity Park in Minsk

A nationwide clean-up day, aka subbotnik, was held in Belarus last Saturday. In all regions, people put in order and landscaped the country’s iconic sites and territories of settlements, memorial complexes, places of military glory, graves of soldiers and partisans of the Great Patriotic War. The money earned, amounting to Br16.5 million, will be allocated for the construction of the National History Museum. Notably, it was at this construction site that the President of Belarus arrived on the subbotnik day.

In February 2025, the Head of State signed Decree No. 50, which envisages the construction of the National History Museum of Belarus and the National Unity Park on the territory of the former Dreamland Park in 2025-2027.
The construction of the museum has been given the status of an All-Belarusian youth construction site.
The Chairman of the Minsk City Executive Committee, Vladimir Kukharev, reported to the President on the work already done in relation to the design and construction of the museum and the park. According to him, the objects will cover the territory of 27 hectares, and the museum building will look like a map of Belarus. “All the materials used in the construction process are domestically produced, almost nothing has been imported,” he said.
Exhibition grounds of regional centres and Minsk, children’s and sports grounds, areas for quiet recreation with gazebos and swings, landscaping of the existing reservoir are planned on the territory of the park.
The Head of State joined the working brigades to start planting 80 seedlings of red-leaved oak that symbolise eighty victorious years. Aleksandr Lukashenko also laid a capsule with a message to the future generations next to the National History Museum building under construction in Minsk.
The message, in particular, reads: ‘Dear descendants! Starting the construction of the new building of the National History Museum of Belarus in the year of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, we bequeath you to cherish the memory of our origins, the path to statehood and the great price of freedom.  

We are confident that the museum will be a true treasury of the inexhaustible wealth of the Belarusian land. Over the centuries, previous generations have built our common home, a safe and independent country — doing that brick by brick, by resisting severe trials and attempts to destroy us as a people and as a nation. The history of Belarus knows many glorious names of saints, creators, educators, statesmen, and commanders. Their victories inspire us to new achievements’.

Belarus has preserved the tradition of holding subbotniks (clean-up days)  

In his message, the President noted that — despite the geopolitical tragedy, the collapse of the Soviet state — Belarusians managed to resist and accomplish a real feat: to create sovereign and peace-loving Belarus.
The text of the message continues: ‘Three decades of independent path have become a time of real struggle for the truth and unity. Having overcome all hardships, we have learned the most important lessons, and we consider it our duty to share this experience with you — the Belarusians of the future. Today, everyone understands that independence is the most valuable thing. It is necessary to work hard and honestly, to rely only on yourself if you wish to stand ground and make sound political decisions. We have realised that respect for history and achievements of the past make us much stronger and more successful, while inspiring self-confidence. 
Stay, like us, devoted to the Motherland, honour the national spiritual and cultural values and traditions, and multiply the successes of your compatriots! Take care of our Belarus! Cherish peace and national unity! Be worthy of your predecessors’.
Later Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke to journalists about inner and international issues. 
The Head of State noted that, since Soviet times, Belarusians have preserved the tradition of holding subbotniks — and they are organised actually not only in the republic. “Such voluntary working days are held all over the world, under different slogans. People clean the streets and the places they live in. We have preserved good traditions.”
According to the President, apart from putting things in order and landscaping everywhere during subbotniks, the country’s organisations also transfer funds [earned on that day] to good and useful purposes: in particular, the generated money will be spent on the construction of the National History Museum of Belarus this year.
“It is a sacred matter. We must do this,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “History is a serious matter. It is necessary to study it and observe what is happening. The new generation is getting less involved into this. It’s all about education, so we need to focus on it. In some cases, we should more actively inform people that we are not a nation without the past, that we have a thousand-year history. This is very important for young people. When they come here, and see that everything here is eye-catching and beautiful... Look, by the end of next year, we will basically finish everything here — and it will be worthy of great praise!”
Speaking about national pride, the Head of State noted that it is very important not to overdo in this matter, 

“By and large, we are nationalistic in terms of love for our country, and there is nothing wrong with that. We are not nationalists, we are not fascists. We are nationalistic people in terms of love for our Motherland, and we are internationalists. We have great respect for our brothers: Russians, Ukrainians, Poles, and others. 

Unfortunately, they do not always treat us adequately, but time will tell who is right and who is to blame.”
As noted by the Head of State, Belarus has a peculiar feature: people of different nationalities and kinship live in the country. “It is necessary to be very careful with nationalism, but our national pride is a must. Those whose blood is mixed with ours should be proud together with us as well. This is the way we must go, and this is our perspective. It is necessary to be very careful. People do not really think about it and, thank God, it means we do not have this problem. At the same time, we must be on our guard all the time — so that we can enjoy our present peaceful life and be able to plant trees and build museums,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The Head of State believes that Ukraine is unlikely to join the European Union. Noting that a large number of European bureaucrats are involved in the negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, the journalists asked the Head of State whether Ukraine would be admitted to the EU. “Millions of US Dollars are being allocated for this. And so they’re involved in something that may never happen. Ukraine will probably never join the European Union. And that’s why they’re dividing up these earmarked grants,” Aleksandr Lukashenko replied.
The President pointed out that the European Union is a single political and economic platform, “Why were Slovakia and Hungary outraged? Because they realised that they are losing their identity. They are losing their identity and their economy. They can’t produce more. And where is Ukraine going? It’s a momentary hobby of an inexperienced person. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a good man, but he is inexperienced. He should admit that. And if you do not understand something, you should listen to other people and draw the appropriate conclusions.”
According to the President, if Ukraine joins the European Union, it will have nowhere to put its products, which are in abundance in other EU countries.
“Look. Everybody pushed Ukraine into a war against Russia. And when Ukraine simply wanted to transport its grain through the European Union, load grain trucks in Poland and deliver it to poor Africa, which lacked it, it was told: ‘No, we will not let you go there’. So before rushing to the EU, you should think whether you need it. Is it going to contribute to the development of your economy and the lives of your people? They don’t think about it. They say: ‘Russia is at the heart of the EAEU, so let’s go the other way! It doesn’t matter where: into a manure pit, into sludge, or anywhere else. The main thing is to get away from Russia’. But that is not politics. Politics should be based on the demands of one’s own people. That is why Ukraine has nothing to do in the European Union. The markets have long been divided and Ukraine’s fortune is in our space.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that Ukraine, together with Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan, once began to develop the concept of Eurasian co-operation. However, then its leadership was given a nationalist ideology that eventually led to the war,      

“Let’s stop the war. Thousands of people have died. It’s bad, it’s hard. We have survived an even bigger war, though. But if you let the economy collapse now, there will be no Ukraine. So before you rush to the EU, think about whether you will be needed there or not.”

Based on materials of sb.by and belta.by

Photo by BELTA