MAJOR INTERVIEW: Igor Sergeenko on the development of the Vitebsk region, current draft laws, and Belarus's international positions
On the spiritual connection with the Vitebsk region and the special responsibility towards Sharkovshchina, on current draft laws for the country and strengthening Belarus's international positions. This and much more in a comprehensive interview with the Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, the President's authorized representative in the Vitebsk region, Igor Sergeenko.
Igor Petrovich, you are from the Vitebsk region. What does it mean to you to be a native of the northern region?
– First and foremost, it means feeling an inseparable spiritual connection with this sacred land. The Vitebsk region is an amazing corner of Belarus with a unique nature and rich historical and cultural heritage, a unique crossroads of civilizations.
Like all my fellow countrymen, I feel pride in its historical past and immense gratitude to the many generations of our ancestors who cultivated and defended this land, developed its economy, science, and culture, formed the foundations of people's power, and created statehood.
Despite its quite respectable age by human standards, the region becomes younger and more beautiful every year. The appearance of cities and villages is changing for the better. We rejoice in the successes of our grain growers and industrial complex workers. The glory of the Vitebsk region is augmented by the achievements of scientists, doctors, and artists.
The present of the region is the merit of its residents, talented, energetic, enterprising, and hospitable people who love their small homeland and multiply the wealth of their native region.
I am sincerely convinced that it is precisely from a reverent attitude towards the place where you were born that the formation of an attitude towards the country as a whole begins. After all, patriotism, diligence, a sense of responsibility towards family, friends, and colleagues, whom one cannot let down – all these qualities are instilled from childhood.
You are a deputy of the Postavy Electoral District No. 29, which includes the Sharkovshchina district where you were born. What do you feel when you visit your small homeland?
– A special responsibility to my fellow countrymen. My home, school, and first independent steps were on this land. And, for example, when entering the district executive committee building, I always remember being admitted to the Komsomol here. That Komsomol membership card, by the way, is still kept in my family archive today.
I cherish the memory of the people, teachers, and fellow villagers who were by my side and influenced the formation of my personality and civic stance during different periods of my life. And, of course, I am driven by gratitude and a sincere desire to be involved in the fate of my small homeland, to contribute through concrete actions.
You are in constant contact with the leadership of local authorities, enterprises, and organizations, and maintain a direct dialogue with voters. How are the results of this work reflected in the legislative activities of the House of Representatives?
– Feedback is very important for deputies. After all, people turn to us not only with personal problems. They often raise issues that affect fundamental aspects of the life of the state and society.
Every meeting with work collectives and the public, every appeal during personal receptions and direct lines are used by deputies to study how laws work in practice, identify legal gaps and conflicts, and work jointly with the government to develop specific measures aimed at solving existing problems.
For these purposes, last year alone, deputies held 20 practice-oriented events dedicated to the development of electric power and gasification of settlements, housing policy, land protection and use, the operation of "one-stop-shop" services, the quality of drinking water, mobile communications, and the internet.
This allowed for the legislative improvement of issues related to the registration of real estate, the extension of the land amnesty, the creation of additional mechanisms for the formation of citizens' pension rights, and the regulation of laws on notary and real estate activities.
But each region has its own specifics – geographical, climatic, demographic…
– Yes, and this determines the private nature of the issues raised in certain regions or cities, the vast majority of which are resolved locally. But there are also problems that are characteristic of almost all territories and are scaled up in the republican context.
First and foremost, people want to have a good job, a stable income, the opportunity to provide for their families, and plan for the future. For young specialists, housing is of great importance. At the same time, even in a rural house, people reasonably want to have modern amenities – electric heating, a hot shower, a washing machine, a microwave. And this is not a luxury, but a minimum level of comfort.
Issues of the quality of housing and communal services, accessibility of medical care, public transport operation, the availability of shops within walking distance, ATMs, and children's and sports grounds in district centers and villages are often raised at meetings.
People talk about the quality of roads. Recently, the government has paid special attention to this issue. And much has already been achieved at the republican level. But, of course, we must also think about local roads. Their quality affects the time spent commuting to work, the transportation of children to schools, and the timely arrival of ambulances, fire trucks, or mobile shops.
Developed infrastructure – communications, kindergartens, schools, hospitals, retail facilities, leisure facilities – is a significant incentive for rural youth not to strive for cities. And meeting the basic needs of young families will also contribute to solving demographic challenges.
The results of the deputies' work in studying all these problems are reflected in the Program for Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Belarus for 2026-2030, which is based on the thesis of the head of state that in all regions of Belarus, especially in rural areas, living and working standards should be no worse than in the capital or regional centers.
I would like to emphasize: the program is not a product of abstract theorizing, but the result of painstaking work on the ground, a deep study of the real factors influencing the dynamics of socio-economic processes. And, of course, its implementation will require appropriate legislative support.
To give this work a more concrete character, measures are being taken today in the House of Representatives to organize a systematic analysis of the entire array of legislative acts precisely through the prism of parliamentary monitoring results, generalization of voter proposals, and study of foreign experience. As a result, we expect new legislative initiatives.
What is on the agenda of the House of Representatives deputies today, and which draft laws are relevant for the country?
– The legislative agenda of the current session of the House of Representatives includes a fairly wide range of issues. They concern, in particular, land relations, currency regulation, protection of intellectual property objects, activities of economic entities, improving the quality of livestock products, industrial safety, and the introduction of the digital ruble.
One of the tasks of the five-year plan is the development of tourism, which, by the way, is very relevant for the Vitebsk region. In this regard, I would like to note the work on amending laws on physical culture, sports, and tourism. The draft provides for the correction of 13 laws, and the main emphasis is on increasing the economic return of the tourism industry.
I would like to emphasize that the listed draft laws are all in their second readings, and in the very near future they will become laws.
An important area from the point of view of creating reliable financial instruments for the implementation of the outlined plans is the preparation of a package of budget and tax documents for 2027. And, of course, our specialized committees will take an active part in this work.
Our proposal to prepare a concept for a draft law on volunteer activities was included in the plan for the preparation of draft legislative acts for 2026, approved by the decree of the head of state.
Volunteering today is perhaps one of the most in-demand civic movements worldwide. People want to improve the environment they live in, making it comfortable and friendly, and to influence the state of infrastructure and ecology. Belarusians are no exception, and this is gratifying, as social solidarity is one of the key conditions for the normal rhythm of life in any state. And, of course, deputies strive to be active participants in this creative work, supporting rational civic initiatives and making their feasible contribution to the common cause.
In general, the plan for preparing draft legislative acts includes 38 items. Given the challenging foreign policy situation, the most serious attention is paid to defense issues, ensuring legality and law and order, and improving the business climate. At the same time, the social agenda does not escape the attention of legislators. I believe that the work of deputies on further amendments to the Housing Code and the preparation of the Environmental Code, as well as the introduction of corrections to laws on labor relations, social protection of citizens affected by the Chernobyl disaster, and the circulation of medicines, will attract the attention of our voters. These topics are always relevant, as they directly affect the quality of life.
Belarusian parliamentarians are carrying out serious work on the unification and harmonization of legislation within the framework of the Union State. What steps have been taken recently to ensure equality of rights for citizens of Belarus and Russia?
– Thanks to the amendments recently made to national legal acts, our citizens permanently residing in Russia have gained the right to participate in local Russian elections. A similar right is now available to Russians permanently residing in Belarus. From now on, Belarusians can obtain an individual insurance account number in Russia and gain access to an account on the Gosuslugi portal. In addition, citizens of both countries can purchase a compulsory motor third-party liability insurance (OSAGO) policy at their place of residence, covering the entire territory of the Union State. And about 75,000 Belarusians have already taken advantage of this opportunity.
On the agenda for the allied parliamentarians are the improvement of the legal framework for conducting a coordinated social policy, support for the elderly, medical care, and the formation and development of a common scientific and educational space.
Profound tectonic shifts are occurring in world politics, and Belarus is involved in these processes. What role do parliamentarians play in strengthening the international positions of our country? What areas is the foreign policy activity of the deputy corps focused on, and what goals do you set for yourselves?
– Parliamentary diplomacy makes a significant contribution to the common efforts to promote the peace-loving foreign policy course of the Belarusian state. And we see our main mission in creating reliable political prerequisites for increasing trade and economic cooperation and implementing agreements reached at the highest and high levels. In other words, the task of parliamentarians is to clear the way for the businessmen who follow us.
And the unconditional priority for us here is the development of allied relations with Russia. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia is currently focused on issues of forming a unified industrial and agrarian policy, protecting the domestic market, ensuring military and technological security, import substitution and creating a common transport system, strengthening financial institutions and expanding the circle of friendly states.
The progressive solution of these strategic tasks, including in the legislative sphere, helps us to successfully counter hybrid warfare and effectively minimize the negative impact of illegal economic sanctions on the daily lives of Belarusians and Russians.
No less important tasks for us remain the deepening of integration processes in the CIS and Eurasian Economic Union space, and strengthening unity within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. In the context of global challenges and threats, such cooperation is an important factor in ensuring the sovereignty, social stability, sustainable, peaceful, and secure development of the region's countries.
It is also necessary to expand the range of interaction with the parliaments of the global majority states – Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, and to strengthen strategic partnership with China. Significant interests of the Republic of Belarus are located there, primarily economic ones. And we intend to consistently establish ourselves in these promising markets.
We pay serious attention to intensifying contacts within the framework of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. It is here that the contours of a new, more just world order are being formed, based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and mutually beneficial economic cooperation, which fully aligns with the peaceful initiatives promoted by Belarus on the international stage.
Countries that have joined the Western agenda demonstrate an almost complete rejection of international law and an inability to perceive reality adequately. In these conditions, is it worth continuing dialogue with them?
– One must talk in any case, because elites come and go, but peoples remain. Yes, it is not easy today, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. After all, no one but ourselves is interested in the world community learning the truth about our country.
Despite the hysteria being whipped up in the West around Belarus and Russia, there are still pragmatic politicians there who perfectly
understand that their ruling classes, with their sanctions and fist law, have primarily punished
their own peoples.
Furthermore, we are not alone. In organizations such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which remain the main channels of communication with the collective West today, we feel the support of our colleagues – parliamentarians from the CIS countries, the CSTO, and a number of other states friendly to us.
For the Vitebsk region, which bore the brunt of the Great Patriotic War, the theme of patriotism is always relevant, and especially in the year of the 85th anniversary of the start of the war. What do the parliamentarians of Belarus and Russia plan to do on the eve of the historical date?
– Special emphasis is placed on combating the falsification of history and preserving historical truth. A number of patriotic events will be dedicated to this goal. The culmination will be the second International Forum of the Union State "Great Heritage – Common Future" to be held in Brest in June.
I would like to remind you that the first forum took place last year in the hero city of Volgograd with the participation of the Presidents of Belarus and Russia. It was a large-scale event that demonstrated to the world our firm resolve to protect the heritage of the generation of victors and to resolutely counter any attempts to revive Nazism.
An important outcome of the forum was the establishment of a permanent commission on the preservation and protection of historical memory at the Parliamentary Assembly. Its first initiative was a project scheduled for 2027 to restore and reconstruct monuments and military graves in the Vitebsk, Gomel, Mogilev, Pskov, Smolensk, Bryansk, and Kaliningrad regions.
As you know, deputies of the House of Representatives pay great attention to the implementation of youth policy. In your opinion, what should be emphasized here today?
– Issues of education, civic and patriotic upbringing, youth employment, social, material, legal, and other forms of state support for young citizens of Belarus are constantly in the focus of the deputy corps. And, in principle, all these areas are equally significant.
However, as parliamentarians, it is important for us that today's schoolchildren and students take over our baton. But a new generation of politicians capable of ensuring the continuity of the state course will not emerge on its own. Therefore, we have brought to life the idea of creating a Youth Council under the House of Representatives as a kind of training ground for personnel.
The council's work focuses on studying the experience of parliamentary activities, the specifics of interaction between deputies and voters, developing cooperation with other Belarusian and foreign, primarily Russian, youth public organizations, and participating in the organization and conduct of educational and patriotic events. And I must say that young parliamentarians have a lot of creative ideas and plans. Of course, not all of our young colleagues will become statesmen, but the experience they gain here will allow them to develop their leadership and organizational skills, their ability to think in a state-minded way and take responsibility, which will serve them well in any professional field.
– Thank you for the conversation!