Another Achilles heel of the Belarusian tourist industry is the “visa wall”. The only political party that Lukashenko ever belonged to was the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. They further complicated the visa procedure. This is in stark contrast to the decline in public service spending in the other former Soviet republics. Although another presidential decree allowed the employee to get a permanent contract after five years of work, the general picture remains very sad for employees. The winning design was a hammer and sickle on top of a globe in rays of the sun, surrounded by a wreath of grain and under a five-pointed star, with the inscription "proletarians of the world, unite!" The Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic exists as a government in exile since then. … Few Belarusian pensioners will have the luxury cars or the latest computers, but they will be able to afford food, fuel and the essentials that allow them to enjoy a peaceful retirement. In addition, remains from the Dnieper-Donets culture were found in Belarus and parts of Ukraine. It was more expensive than receiving visas at Belarusian consulates abroad, but it saved lots of time. Moreover, on 31 May the government amended the national visa rules. In 2007, the European Union suspended its trade preferences for Belarus for violations of trade unions' rights – effectively introducing economic sanctions for the first time. According to some insider sources, special sex tours to Belarus are regularly organised from certain Western European states and Turkey. Belarus: Mass opposition continues to defy repression by Lukashenko's regime. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on his reelection Aug. 9. In Belarus, 70% of workers are employed by the state, according to The Heritage Foundation’s 2020 Index of Economic Freedom. Interestingly, nationals of only 19 states can enter Belarus without visas (however, there are specific regulations for each state). belarus socialism. In 1917, Vladimir Lenin and Anatoly Lunacharsky held a competition to create a Soviet emblem. Unlike the other former Soviet Republics, Belarus displays symbolism of the former Soviet Union (USSR). One of them was the development of agro-ecotourism. In Belarus, 70% of workers are employed by the state, according to The Heritage Foundation’s 2020 Index of Economic Freedom. Yauheni Preiherman is Policy Director of the Discussion and Analytical Society Liberal Club in Minsk. None of the regime's key figures, such as Uladzimir Makey or Mikhail Myasnikovich, display any socialist sentiments. According to the director of the tourist company BelarusTurService Hennadzi Leushyn, about 80 per cent of tourists come from Russia. The Belarusian democracy movement erupted after Lukashenko claimed 80 percent of the vote over 10 percent for Tichanovskaya. Copyright © 2020 Workers World. Lukashenko’s reelection was the sixth one since 1994, when he also won 80% of the popular vote. This system demonstrates merely that the regime only avoids the reforms to maintain control, not that Lukashenka is bringing the nation to socialism. Just business. Anti-imperialists and revolutionaries inside the U.S. must oppose any U.S. involvement in other countries’ affairs. https://belarusdigest.com/story/cartoon-fields/. For example, there are only 34 hotels in the whole country that are certified according to international standards. Despite the capitalist counterrevolution in 1991, Belarus was able to restore some of the socialist programs of the Soviet era. The government may dictate any labour conditions it wishes. Belarus is the legal successor of the Byelorussian SSR and in its Constitution it states, "Laws, decrees and other acts which were applied in the territory of the Republic of Belarus prior to the entry into force of the present Constitution shall apply in the particular parts thereof that are not contrary to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus." Their absolute numbers were very small, varying between 2,000 and 3,000. Her supporters and other opponents of the government from various centrist and right-wing parties, poured into the streets to denounce Lukashenko. Despite frequent declarations, the government have failed to create even basic tourist infrastructure in Belarus. To put it in a comparative perspective, the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius — a relatively small city with the population of 540,000 — alone annually attracts more than 1.5 million tourists. September 25, 2020 by . Stephen Shenfield: In the 1990s I made visits to five of the new post-Soviet republics – Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan. However, the statistics show that the country receives miserable numbers of visitors. 100 Years Later: Some Lessons of the Great Bolshevik Revolution, Fascist violence and the form of the state, No fascist coup! Taking advantage of these grievances, Washington and the Belarus opposition use problems caused by the pandemic as a pretext against Belarus’s sovereignty — despite the U.S. government’s own mishandling of the pandemic crisis. "We do not cultivate the idea of sex tourism in Belarus. As a result, in 2011 1576 so-called agro-manors stood ready to accommodate agro-tourists. You have successfully subscribed to the newsletter, https://belarusdigest.com/story/the-european-myth-of-belarusian-socialism/. Parker points out that the first thing Lukashenko did upon election was double the minimum wage. No, but that doesn’t mean it is not a victim of western imperialism, both right now as we speak and since the dissolution of the USSR. Formerly known as Byelorussia or Belorussia, its prehistory essentially begins in the seventh millennium BC with the Dnieper-Donets culture and a series of successors. Of course, not all of them were profitable. Despite the economic collapse brought about by the counter-revolution of the 1990s, Belarus avoided the fate of many other former socialist states by retaining state-run industry and the social safety net. Ukraine’s Maidan movement encourages a pro-fascist coup. In 2003, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) launched an investigation into the complaint of Belarusian independent trade unions concerning violations of their rights by the government. But they exist as remnants of Soviet times and are gradually being dismantled as the government gradually cuts costs. This allows the employer to fire them without explanation after the contract expires. The author dedicates this article to the memory of Workers World Party founder Rosemary Neidenberg (1921-2020), who requested that he analyze U.S. imperialism’s threat to Belarus. Belarus has continued in this tradition. Socialism requires workers power, and there is no such thing in Belarus. Lukashenko’s main electoral opponent, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who polled around 10% of the vote compared to Lukashenko’s 80%, refused to accept the election outcome. Belarus has the least employee-friendly employment system in Europe, which strips workers of any protection in their relations with employers. Opposition protest in Minsk, Belarus August 2020 (Click to enlarge) Clare Doyle, Committee for a Workers' International (CWI) For the fourth Sunday in succession, on September 6 there were mass protests across Belarus. Have Belarusians Always Used the Cyrillic Alphabet? Only 20 per cent of tourists (about 150,000) came from the rest of the world in 2011. The trade unions are far from being independent or influential. Washington’s policies aim at instability in Belarus. Nothing but the holding of free and fair elections in Belarus is acceptable. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. In 2011, state-owned enterprises earned almost two-thirds of the profits. The same lack of ideological preoccupation shapes Belarus' foreign policy. In the book “The Last Soviet Republic: Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus,” author Stewart Parker argues that Lukashenko’s mass popularity and electoral success derive from his tight connection with the former Soviet Union. This kind of service is available for tourists in most hotels as well as in a number of special clubs. No doubt, it will give a boost to the tourist industry. But the combination of a disintegrating welfare system, dismantled state-run services, a five-year wage freeze and skyrocketing prices were too much for them to stand. Their president has been in power for more than 25 years, ever since the Soviet Union fell, and his prior job was managing a socialist collective farm. Moreover, the very fact that some services are still free does not make a country a socialist – otherwise most EU countries would be socialist. Furthermore, there are almost no signs in English, even in the capital – all are in Cyrillic alphabet which most Westerners cannot read. While Belarus still maintains features from its socialist history as part of the Soviet Union, it lost other socialist features during and after the USSR’s collapse. Tikhanovskaya’s spouse, Sergei Tikhanovsky, initially intended to run against Lukashenko, but he was disqualified and arrested for participating in illegal, anti-government activities. Sex tourism in Belarus is, of course, not as flourishing as in Ukraine. In 2014 Belarus will host the World Ice Hockey Championship. Belarus mostly attracts Russian citizens who come to rest at health resorts or gamble in casinos. The ideology-free elite wishes to preserve its power without embarking on high-minded idealistic abstractions. China is run by a Communist Party but describes itself as socialist, while the employer/employee structure of its enterprises is capitalist. Many of them believe that the Belarusian regime shares their ideology. An interview with Dmitry Kosmachev, a member of the Minsk Socialist Circle, about the situation in Belarus, the current protests, and where they may lead. Some write about socialism in Belarus, and others call Lukashenka “a spontaneous socialist” or even a social democrat. We are pleased to announce that we have resumed printing and mailing on a monthly basis, for now. What is clear, however, is that Lukashenko’s opposition welcomes support from the pro-fascist Maidan movement in Ukraine and from U.S. imperialism. Stephen Shenfield: In the 1990s I made visits to five of the new post-Soviet republics – Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan. in six languages (Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijani). This high-profile event can boost the country’s tourist industry, as the authorities promise visa-free travel for all Westerners. For that reason, it is pointless to talk about any kind of Socialism or even a left-wing ideology of the Belarusian regime. For example, even the nominally high-ranked Anatol Rubinau only heads the Council of the Republic, which serves no serious function in the state other than being a social club for officials. The European Myth of Belarusian Socialism. State-owned enterprises and enterprises partly owned by the government employed c. 1.75 million people, i.e. Although education is nominally free, in fact only a minority of all students do not have to pay for their studies. Belarus boasts a favourable geographical location. For example, a single entry short-stay visa for an American citizen costs $160. The people of Belarus have long been daunted due to brutal retaliation by the state. But it is definitely becoming a sizeable business. Only 15 per cent of visitors of all the agro-manors in 2011 were from abroad. The authorities were hoping that Belarusian villages, with their rural traditions and beautiful nature, would appeal to hundreds of thousands of foreigners who prefer quiet rest to city sightseeing. But if [a foreign tourist] has an interest, let him look for it, meet girls and marry". Classic editor History Talk (0) Socialism : This category collects individuals, organizations, publications, events and other topics that are relevant to Socialism in Belarus. Tourism is a regular issue on the government’s agenda. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Workers World suspended printing and mailing of the newspaper on March 19. Pro-Western, anti-Semitic Ukrainian nationalists, including pro-fascist elements inside the “Maidan movement,” carried out this coup. Lukashenka's Regime: Neither Left, Nor Right, and Nor Centre. Lukashenka exploits Russian Communists to get leverage in the Kremlin, supported Polish populist Lepper to take revenge on Poland for its support of the Belarusian opposition and befriended Hugo Chavez for good money. Belarusian life expectancy is higher than in all former Soviet states with the exception of Georgia.”, Imperialist threats to sovereignty and stability. It has always needed to simply preserve the existing order. Protesters in Mogilev, east Belarus, last week (Pic: Wikimedia/Creative Commons) Belarusian president Aleksander Lukashenko launched a fresh crackdown on … Mostly though I would have these icy streets to myself; and when I did get into conversations, many of the people I spoke with turned out to be Russian tourists, migrants or retirees. The Belarusian government declared many times its plans to privatise state-owned enterprises. The ruling elite inherited its power from the Soviet state and did not have to struggle for it. And it is not surprising, therefore, that even officials have started talking about this business in public, like a deputy Minister of Sports and Tourism did on state television a week ago. Belarus has been able to stall a lot of privatization that completely dissolved what socialist mode of production did exist in the late USSR. It lies on the crossroads of major international roots from Germany and Poland to Russia and from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea. This makes the Belarus opposition similar to the pro-capitalist protesters in Hong Kong, which U.S. imperialist politicians and Western white supremacists embrace. This location makes it a potentially convenient destination for tourists from neighbouring and far-away countries. The Belarusian parliament had already passed the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic on 27 July 1990, with Stalinist hardliner Lukashenko the only MP to vote against independence. Invaders from Asia, among whom were the Huns and Avars, swept through c. 400–600 AD, but were unable to dislodge the Slavic presence. Western tourists are still very rare. Belarus’s government has its contradictions. It is extremely hard to identify an ideological affiliation of the Belarusian ruler. While the Belarusian authorities are talking about the prospects of sex tourism, the inflow of foreign tourists in general remains low. It will be the most high-profile sporting event in the country’s sovereign history. Unlike the other former Soviet republics, Belarus preserved socialist symbols and statues throughout the country. A special commission confirmed these violations of workers' rights. Yet it is still improbable, since such a step will lead to radical changes in the economic model of the regime. And from time to time the police crackdown on networks of the sex business. Previously, all foreigners could get visas upon arrival at Minsk-2 airport. Read in Russian As Marxists, we understand that the political crisis that is now unfolding in Belarus is not caused by an accidental coincidence of circumstances or the intrigues of certain foreign states. Some independent trade unions exist but they are marginalised. Tikanovskaya became the main opposition candidate after his arrest. Perhaps Belarus is not capitalist, but it is certainly not socialist. We have continued publishing articles on workers.org, along with a weekly PDF of what would have been the printed version. They do not want to pay for expensive visas only to find the lack of appropriate tourist infrastructure. Subscribers should have received a printed paper in September and October. They play almost no social or labour protection role. In autumn of 1919, Nikolai Yudenich's advance on Petrograd was checked, whilst in the far north the Evgeny Miller's army was pushed into the Arctic. This transforms the country into a kind of sweatshop, common in the developing world with cheap and docile labour force, minimal regulations and full freedom of action for employers. Print subscriptions will still be extended in consideration of the temporary suspension of printing and the currently more limited print schedule. Even fewer come from western countries. This year, the ILO put Belarus on the “long” and “short” list of states violating rights of trade unions. The Belarusian regime is a self-interested opportunistic authoritarianism which has no stable ideological preferences. These states are the following: For the rest of the world Belarusian visas are quite costly. Please use the respective subcategories, if existing. We examine what this means for (a) its place in the world economy, (b) its place in the transition from capitalism to socialism/communism and (c) its conflict with the US. But without proper deregulation of this sector of the economy the boost will not be sustainable and nothing but sex industry will remain the country's tourist brand. The same applies to the profits. Perhaps the only sort of incoming tourism from western countries that is developping in Belarus despite any difficulties is sex tourism. Later, the ILO repeatedly defined Belarus as a grave violator of trade unions' rights, but to no avail. Parker adds, “Communist and socialist governments the world over have always had literacy and education programmes as core principles. The people have some legitimate grievances against Lukashenko, especially regarding his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2014 a NATO-sponsored coup succeeded in overthrowing Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych. Inception. Similarly, more and more services in hospitals are no longer free. The same flag was also flown by Belarusian counterrevolutionaries during the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Last weekend, the Party of the European Left held a conference in Minsk. Belarus’s government has its contradictions. For socialism and genuine democracy! The Bolsheviks created a puppet Soviet government of Belarus in Smolensk. Today, Ukrainian fascists are openly lending their support to the Belarusian opposition movement. 'S regime: Neither Left, Nor Right, and there is such... 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