How do pop stars escape military service?
The European Radio for Belarus got to know that musicians whose music is forbidden “do their civic duties” much more eagerly then patriotic pop stars. The Belarusian Eurovision hope Kaldun was shocked when he received call-up papers. ERB phoned the singer and tried to find out how he was going to escape from military service.
Zmіtser Kaldun: “I phoned them and explained everything. They understood it. Thanks God I did not have to introduce myself. So, I hope they won’t disturb me in the near future. They said they understood everything and that it was a common problem.
Furthermore, I am still a student. I explained them that I would be a BSU student till December1. The thing is I’m non-effective. My grandmother does not let me go to the army, so I’m non-effective”.
But employees of the Frunzenski District of Minsk military registration and enlistment office are not that optimistic. Major Shrugіn said they did not reach any agreement with Kaldun:
“His adjournment ends this year. He did not react in any way. There are a number of cases when people have the right for adjournment according to art. #32 “On military service and duties”.
One of those articles is a presidential decree. If he does not come to the military registration and enlistment office till the end of the call-up we will have to send an appeal to the District Office of Public Prosecutor and start a criminal case.
Thus he will have to speak to the investigator instead of the head commissioner. He has to come to the military registration and enlistment office and settle down the problem instead of making phone calls”.
ERB decided to find out whether other Belarusian pop stars had problems with military service. We started with the most “military” Belarusian group “Tyani-Tolkai”. It turned out that the guys advertising military service in their songs did not even know what it was like.
The head of the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Defense Vyachaslau Ramenchyk says:
“I personally think that everyone should go through military service. I will not give any comments about “Tyani-Tolkai”. By the way, they participate in joint projects of the Ministry of Defense and the First National Channel.
They participated in “Demobilization Album 1” and “Demobilization Album 2”. It is not their fault that they did not have a chance to serve in the army. Some circumstances or their activities did not let them do it”.
A member of the group “Tyani-Tolkai” Pavel Tarainovіch describes the circumstances that prevented the guys from doing their military service:
“Troi was invalided and they forgot about Andrei (vocalist). He never received call-up papers. When he turned 27 and came to get a driving license he was fined for a small sum of money and given his military ID”.
Sasha Nema did not serve in the army either. But he had more serious reasons for it.
“It’s because I am married with a daughter. First I was studying and then I was freed from military service for domestic reasons”.
Alyaksy Hlystou even regrets he hasn’t served in the army:
“I regret it a bit. My brother served in the army and I think the service can turn boys into men”.
Belarusian rock musicians make a difference. It is not that hard to find a person who went through military service there. The vocalist of “Krama” Іhar Varashkevіch says:
“I served from 1979 till 1981 in Minsk. I don’t think it was very useful but things can always leave some good impressions. There was practically no bullying and it was fun”.
A painter Mіhal Anempadystau also served in the army. He had a “difficult” job there:
“I served in Byarestse as a military loader”.
Such people as a guitarist Pit Paulau (paratrooper) and the leader of “NRM” Lyavon Volski (military painter) also served in the army.
This topic turned out to be forbidden for a “Lyapis” member Syarhey Mihalok. When we asked him whether he served in the army he replied:
Mіhalok: “The healer of my karma has forbidden discussing this topic. I cannot talk about anything connected with the army, war, weapon, murders, mass execution, bullets, combat gear, machine-guns, etc…
I am forbidden to pronounce, listen to and discuss these issues for 5 years. Otherwise I may give up and start taking drugs again. It will kill my brain which is already jelly-like. I’m presenting my apologies but I cannot comment on this issue”.
Photo by photo.bymedia.net
Zmіtser Kaldun: “I phoned them and explained everything. They understood it. Thanks God I did not have to introduce myself. So, I hope they won’t disturb me in the near future. They said they understood everything and that it was a common problem.
Furthermore, I am still a student. I explained them that I would be a BSU student till December1. The thing is I’m non-effective. My grandmother does not let me go to the army, so I’m non-effective”.
But employees of the Frunzenski District of Minsk military registration and enlistment office are not that optimistic. Major Shrugіn said they did not reach any agreement with Kaldun:
“His adjournment ends this year. He did not react in any way. There are a number of cases when people have the right for adjournment according to art. #32 “On military service and duties”.
One of those articles is a presidential decree. If he does not come to the military registration and enlistment office till the end of the call-up we will have to send an appeal to the District Office of Public Prosecutor and start a criminal case.
Thus he will have to speak to the investigator instead of the head commissioner. He has to come to the military registration and enlistment office and settle down the problem instead of making phone calls”.
ERB decided to find out whether other Belarusian pop stars had problems with military service. We started with the most “military” Belarusian group “Tyani-Tolkai”. It turned out that the guys advertising military service in their songs did not even know what it was like.
The head of the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Defense Vyachaslau Ramenchyk says:
“I personally think that everyone should go through military service. I will not give any comments about “Tyani-Tolkai”. By the way, they participate in joint projects of the Ministry of Defense and the First National Channel.
They participated in “Demobilization Album 1” and “Demobilization Album 2”. It is not their fault that they did not have a chance to serve in the army. Some circumstances or their activities did not let them do it”.
A member of the group “Tyani-Tolkai” Pavel Tarainovіch describes the circumstances that prevented the guys from doing their military service:
“Troi was invalided and they forgot about Andrei (vocalist). He never received call-up papers. When he turned 27 and came to get a driving license he was fined for a small sum of money and given his military ID”.
Sasha Nema did not serve in the army either. But he had more serious reasons for it.
“It’s because I am married with a daughter. First I was studying and then I was freed from military service for domestic reasons”.
Alyaksy Hlystou even regrets he hasn’t served in the army:
“I regret it a bit. My brother served in the army and I think the service can turn boys into men”.
Belarusian rock musicians make a difference. It is not that hard to find a person who went through military service there. The vocalist of “Krama” Іhar Varashkevіch says:
“I served from 1979 till 1981 in Minsk. I don’t think it was very useful but things can always leave some good impressions. There was practically no bullying and it was fun”.
A painter Mіhal Anempadystau also served in the army. He had a “difficult” job there:
“I served in Byarestse as a military loader”.
Such people as a guitarist Pit Paulau (paratrooper) and the leader of “NRM” Lyavon Volski (military painter) also served in the army.
This topic turned out to be forbidden for a “Lyapis” member Syarhey Mihalok. When we asked him whether he served in the army he replied:
Mіhalok: “The healer of my karma has forbidden discussing this topic. I cannot talk about anything connected with the army, war, weapon, murders, mass execution, bullets, combat gear, machine-guns, etc…
I am forbidden to pronounce, listen to and discuss these issues for 5 years. Otherwise I may give up and start taking drugs again. It will kill my brain which is already jelly-like. I’m presenting my apologies but I cannot comment on this issue”.
Photo by photo.bymedia.net
