Slyunkov. Political biography

NIKOLAI SLYUNKOU (1929–2022) — Belarusian state and party figure of the Soviet era. Born in the Rogachev district of the Gomel region. Graduated from the Minsk Automechanical Technical School. He worked his way up from assistant foreman to general director at the Minsk Tractor Plant. He was the first secretary of the Minsk City Committee of the party, and then was transferred to Moscow, where he worked as deputy chairman of the USSR State Planning Committee. In 1983–1987 — head of the BSSR. Radically changed the Belarusian personnel elite, hushed up the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. In 1987–1990 — secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU and member of the Politburo of the party, in which he participated in attempts to reform the Soviet economy.

In the 1990s, the basis of the Belarusian elite was formed by representatives of Nikolai Slyunkov's team. While the movement towards independence was taking place in the economy, they supported the transformations (including cultural initiatives that did not undermine the foundations of the then society). For them, independence was perceived not at the state level, but at the level of the union republic. Therefore, as soon as the transformations went beyond a certain limit in the first half of the nineties, the Belarusian elite blocked most of the real market reforms. Integration with Russia, which remained in trend throughout the decade, was a reflection of their worldview. Therefore, the processes of strengthening independence occurred rather contrary to, than thanks to, their position.