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Michael Solomonovich, tell me what you do for Belarus?

Mikhail Gusman: you Know, like in the song “where the Motherland begins?” (laughs). I, of course, is from Baku, but the roots of my father there. My grandparents – they are from the edges. And Belarus for me has always been the region where I came even from a young age. In Minsk, in other places of this country – a student, and then, when he worked in the Komsomol, the youth organizations, as it so happened, that in Belarus I visited many, many times. You know, there’s a feeling that can be expressed in the simple word “cozy.” It is difficult to explain the concept. I’ve travelled a lot around the world, but not everywhere there is a feeling of comfort, some experience in Belarus. Something like that happened in my life that I was just like Belarus was always warm and cozy.

You often go there? And do you have Belarusian friends?

Mikhail Gusman: I have many Friends. Especially among colleagues. Friends for many years with the current editor-in-chief of the newspaper “SB. Belarus today” Dmitry Zhuk, who for many years headed the Belarusian information Agency “BelTA”. By the way, I was friends with the former editor-in-chief Pavel Yakubovich. In fact, I was friendly with many of the Belarusian diplomatic staff and journalists. So I have in this country a lot of people I can sincerely, from the heart, to call his friends.

And your favorite dish there is the Belarusian?

Mikhail Gusman: You are my complexion are? (Laughs.) Based on this, can you guess what I am human, not devoid of eating habits. Belarusian cuisine is very tasty, rich but still there is a word “good” – it is always of high quality natural products.

Can I brag? I have several times had the honor to interview Alexander Lukashenko, the head of state. Now, one day before my departure he gave me on the road a grocery basket. You know, it happened in my life that I had a lot of interviewing heads of state, there are almost 400, and, frankly, someone thought it possible to give me some sort of souvenir or we exchanged Souvenirs. And Alexander G. me on the road gave the basket I would call “the Belarusian abundance”. Sausages, cheese, biscuits… There were a lot of things. I even changed my flight and returned to Moscow not by plane but by train. Was afraid that with individual items that are included in this basket will not be allowed on the plane. And this Belarusian basket of gastronomic wonders, presented to Alexander Grigoryevich, then long my happy home.

And what do you remember the interview with the President of Belarus? What it the source compared to leaders of other countries?

Mikhail Gusman: as for directly��Redstone Alexander G., that it bribe directness and undisguised candor. You know, he wants what he says, really been properly understood and correctly perceived. To talk occurred confidential atmosphere. And usually, he succeeds. Because Alexander Lukashenko is a very strong human charisma. In General, in my opinion, charisma is a special human quality. And maybe many will disagree with me, but her build is impossible – it is either man is given, or not given. That is, play the charm, the charisma, in my opinion, is senseless. Here Lukashenko as a companion, as a participant in the dialogue, of course, charisma is gifted by nature. And it’s very impressive.

Remember that after the interview Alexander Lukashenko taught you to mow the grass at his residence. Still?

Mikhail Gusman: Is generally a famous story that happened during our penultimate conversation-interview. Alexander G. invited me to his residence. I did not expect that there will be a proposal to participate in the mowing. Gathered his colleagues, the friends with whom he usually mows. The President and I have proposed. I was not dressed especially for mowing. And he came in a simple suit and immediately I was put to the spit. And it was clear that this man really holds the scythe not the first, not the tenth, and probably not for the hundredth time in my life. And I’m the first!

And still it is necessary to keep in mind that I unfortunately its, a small specialist something to do housework with their hands. And the fact that I, Alexander G. was able to coerce these active operations, made a strong impression. And, as it turned out, I coped with that mission that he confided to me. But then it had the opposite effect. Because if I asked for something to do around the house and I refused, then told me: “you see, Lukashenko, you could get to mow, are you some kind of nail can not score!”

the Decree about your rewarding says you awarded “for significant personal contribution to the strengthening of relations between Belarus and Russia.” How, in your opinion, today, enough Russian readers and viewers of information about Belarus?

Mikhail Gusman: It’s a long conversation. I believe that the reader who is interested in life of Belarus, the, how to live this brotherly country, opportunities to learn more about it there. Even if you take the app “UNION”, which I always read in “the Russian newspaper”. But overall, in my opinion, is the problem. And, unfortunately, in the Russian media (I say this partly self-critical) information about the Commonwealth countries, the CIS countries, particularly Belarus, is not enough. And this country is also still part of the Union state.

I Believe that we have a lot and often write about the furthest “Palestine” and a lot less about our closest neighbors. I don’t think that is normal. But here I must say that we are working together to fix this situation. Our Agency TASS in Moscow organizes different kind of bilateral meetings, “round tables”, seminars, and professional studies with our Belarusian colleagues. And Vice versa: Agency BelTA and other Belarusian media were carried out at the international journalism forums. And it’s quite common. Moreover, TASS together with Fund of support of Russian-language press actively engaged in the Russian-speaking press abroad. There are world Association of Russian press. And that is one of its congresses recently, at the invitation of Alexander Lukashenko, with great success took place in Minsk.

in conclusion, I will say frankly: I think it is imperative for the Belarusian issue has occupied more space on the pages and the air in the Russian media. And the same thing – the Russian theme in Belarus. Not very correct I think that when there are any misunderstandings, discussion, sometimes even debate at different levels between Russia and Belarus, it immediately appears in the media. And kazhdodnevno relations in the cultural sphere, in the social, economic, humanitarian, unfortunately, is not as fully covered as, for example, I would personally like.

a lot of years leading the program “Formula of power” on TV channel “Russia 24”. As for ourselves, what kind of formula is this?

Mikhail Gusman: Really, this program aired for 20 years. If not pandemic, maybe even at the end of the year we would have celebrated her birthday. Although, perhaps, another note. Yes, the heroes of our program were over 400 heads of States and governments. And Alexander Lukashenko, in particular, was more than once. So, as a rule, at the end of each issue, I ask my interlocutors this question: what, in their opinion, the power? Gathered a huge number of responses. In some ways they are similar, something different. I think the answer to your question, this is a synthesis, a common denominator under all those answers I had to and, I hope, will get.