Republic
03.03.2006
The people's congress is an open conversation with the nation, direct and effective form of democracy allowing people to participate in the state administration, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko said while opening the 3rd All-Belarus People's Congress on March 2.
Addressing the congress, the head of state noted, for the third time the people has gathered for a national assembly. The president reminded, the first congress took place at a time of radical measures necessary to stop the country from sliding into an abyss. "Who could we rely on at that time? On politicians and parliamentarians, whom we lost confidence in? We could rely on the people only", stated Alexander Lukashenko.
The decision brought this democratic form of communication – an all-Belarus people's congress. The congress will decide on the destiny of the state and development ways. "Not officials in their offices, but representatives of the nation sent from various parts of the country", emphasised the president.
The first All-Belarus People's Congress clarified the situation. The nation united and chose a productive and evolutionary way of the country's development, said Alexander Lukashenko. It was then that we gave up the shock therapy method and defined basic principles of the evolutionary social and economic development. "If we had chosen different decisions, it would have been a different country or maybe no country at all", noted the president.