Yuri Felshtinsky: Belarus Has A Future With Such People
- 22.09.2025, 22:27
The famous writer presented the book "Natalia Radina's Belarus: journalist against the dictator.
In Prague, a meeting with the famous American historian and writer Yuri Felshtinsky and the editor-in-chief of the website Charter97.org Natalia Radzina took place. On September 17, the book "Natalia Radina's Belarus: Journalist vs. Dictator" was presented in the cultural space "New Place".
About the meeting and the new book, Charter97.org talked to its author, Yuri Felshtinsky:
- Let's start with the fact that the book ""Natallia Radzina's Belarus" was already presented at the fair. By the time of its opening, the signal edition was printed, and we were able to show the book to the readers.
- I was present at the fair all three days - September 12, 13 and 14. The presentation of the book took place in a different format, in the famous place in Prague called "New Place". There are regular meetings with writers, journalists and politicians. It was there that we, together with Natalia Radzina, presented the book about Belarus.
The meeting was held in a very warm atmosphere. We were asked the right questions. Everyone, of course, was interested in why the idea of this book was born and why its heroine was Natalia Radzina and not, for example, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.
- Why did you choose Belarus as a theme for the new book?
- At the meeting I said that I consider Belarus to be the most important geopolitical country that can guarantee the security of Europe from Russian aggression. Unfortunately, this aggression does not promise to stop in the near future and threatens to turn into a long-term complication not only for Europe, but for the whole world.
- Was there any interest in the book "Natalia Radzina's Belarus: Journalist vs. Dictator"?
- The life of any book begins at the moment of publication. This book has just been published. We held the presentation in Prague, because the book fair was held there, and it first appeared on the shelves in Prague. So it was logical to hold the presentation right after the fair.
Now the book will be published in other languages. The first edition was in Russian, but Ukrainian and Belarusian editions will be published soon. We also expect Polish, Lithuanian, English - and then we'll see.
This is a serious volume: 500 pages, of which 250 are the main text, and the same amount is the appendix. The book is just beginning its life, and readers should take the time to familiarize themselves with it. It's not a one-day read. But I am confident that, like many of my books, it will not become obsolete. There are books that are written about specific events and quickly lose relevance, but I think this book will have a long life. Just like Natalia Radzina herself. This is the answer to the question of why I chose her as a heroine. I saw in her a perspective. A prospect both for her and for Belarus - the country where people like Natalia Radzina will live and work.
If there are people like Natalia Radzina, the country has a future. And that is what interested me.
- What is unique about the book itself? Why should people who are interested in Belarus and its modern history be interested in it?
- This book is unique in that it attempts to show the history of the country through the fate of one man. A young man who was just starting his professional life in Belarus and decided to become a journalist. The decision seems to be banal. But in an unfree, undemocratic country it led to serious problems.
Natalia Radzina faced all the difficulties only because she wanted to be an honest journalist. And the whole state punitive system, which Lukashenko gradually turned into an instrument of dictatorship, was thrown to break her. But it was not possible to break her.
This confrontation between man and state, especially Lukashenko's dictatorship, deserves to be described. The book shows exactly that. It reads easily and dynamically. It features not only Natalia Radzina, but also other people who were involved in her story. I hope they make readers sympathize with them.
It is obvious to everyone that Lukashenko's regime is criminal, and these people fought against it not because they were born heroes, but because they wanted to live honestly in their country.
What I like about Natalia Radzina is that she is absolutely selflessly devoted to her country. She is not interested in anything but the freedom of her motherland and people. Over the years I have seen many politicians in different countries, but, frankly speaking, I have not met people who would be closer to Natalia Radzina in terms of sincerity, devotion and unselfishness.
Buy the book "Natalia Radzina's Belarus: Journalist vs. Dictator" in Russian at the following sites: