School “for Kolya” guarded as a secret facility (Photo)
- 30.07.2009, 9:43
Reconstruction of a school in Astrashytski town, where the president’s residence “Azyorny” is situated, is being finished in high gear.
“Salidarnasts” newspaper runs about the constructing.
“This was a hole, but now look what they’ve built!” a local dweller says. People msk smiles when talking about the construction. It is said Kolya Lukashenka may study in this school.
Journalists were warned before the trip: it’s not so easy to get to Astrashytski town. Traffic police officers check all unknown cars, ask about purpose of the visit. The newspaper correspondents were lucky – they didn’t meet a single guardian of the law.
But we faced problems at the building site.
They met curious glances when coming closer to the site. But getting construction workers to talk wasn’t an easy task. As if bewaring of something, they kept silence, grinned in a mysterious way, and advised us to address the school administration with questions.
Even a traditionally talkative doorkeeper was laconic. She said this building hadn’t been repaired for 26 years and had been in a sad state until recently and called for the administration.
– Who are you and what are you doing here? – A school headmistress appeared a minute later.
Having examined the journalist’s certificates, she asked:
– Is “Salidarnasts” a state-run or an independent edition?
Having learnt it was an independent newspaper, the headmistress asked: “Did you agree your visit with the district executive committee?”
The situation resembled a comedy. The journalists found themselves in a tight circle of a deputy headmistress, a representative of the city education department, and the doorkeeper.
– Should we agree something there? – The correspondent wondered. – This is a common school, not a secret facility.
– This is a closed facility. You don’t have the right to stay here.
– It’s the first time we hear a school is a secret facility and one needs a permission to visit it.
– I doubt you haven’t known this working for such a newspaper.
Then the headmistress phoned someone (as it was found out later, to the district executive committee) and told about the visit of the journalists. After a short conversation, she made a flat statement: “You must leave this place immutably!”
– Could you introduce to us at least? – The journalists asked.
– No names! What are you writing in your notebook? I repeat, you are not allowed to stay here. Don’t write anything and don’t take pictures!
The expelled journalists went to the construction workers resting on a lawn. But an attempt to have a talk failed. The deputy head of the district education department ran out and motioned them to keep silence.
However, local dwellers were more talkative.
– Everybody here knows that the school is being prepared for Lukashenka’s youngest son. He will probably study here. So they decided to get ready for any case. This was a hole, but now look what they’ve built! Such huge money was spent for that. The renewal agrees European standards. I heard, the constructing is backed by the Ministry of Education. But I doubt that this boy wil study here.
As the journalists found out, it is planned to finish the repair works by August 25. We hope, by September 1 everyone will be able to see the local “building of the century” (the school is really impressive in comparison with the nearby buildings).