To commemorate the second anniversary of Prime Minister Denys Tezdzhanenko assuming office after re-election, we’ve reached to the Prime Minister to talk about the state of affairs in Lostisland as well as about his personal convictions. Read the exclusive interview below.
Lostisland.org: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Today marks two years since your reelection as Prime Minister, but you have served on this position since 2015 and first assumed office in 2013. How would you compare Lostisland of 2015 to Lostisland of today, and what is the secret of your political longevity?
Tezdzhanenko: May peace and blessings be upon the apostle of God! The Lostisland of 2015 was a rat’s nest filled with corruption. In the years since we have successfully eliminated 85% of the corruption and nepotism in Lostisland.
The secret of longevity? If you are too far from the corruption you may freeze, but if you are too close you may burn.
Lostisland.org: You claim to have eliminated corruption, but you yourself have been accused of it by Prosecutor General Chagatay who launched a criminal investigation against you for alleged election meddling. The President later entrusted the investigation to Federal Intelligence and Security Service and no updates have been released ever since, which some claim it itself a sign of corruption. Could you comment on these allegations?
Tezdzhanenko: Prosecutor Chagatay is a know wizard and occultist. I am sure he has already cast a spell on the FISS so they can not look into his corruption.
In my street, no corruption can be found because for me there is no reason to buy: I am the one selling.
Lostisland.org: Could you comment on the rumors that you and the President have shared business interests outside Lostisland?
Tezdzhanenko: This is a well-known fact and I do not think either of us is hiding it. Lostisland, unfortunately, can not offer to pay us salaries, so we have to turn to the normal business market.
Lostisland.org: You’re an experienced micronationalist who has served in a number of micronations. What are the specifics of being a Prime Minister in Lostisland?
Tezdzhanenko: In general it’s a matter of stability, not different from for example Russian politics. Another point is that Lostisland does not have a political ideology, and as such we don’t pass a lot of laws.
Lostisland.org: Lostisland is a fairly old community, with a history dating back to 2008. Would you say that being a leader of such a community is more difficult than running a younger micronation?
Tezdzhanenko: Yes and no. In principle dealing with a settled community gives some difficulties, such as old grudges and, in the case of Lostisland, we have a Russophone minority which however was at the start of the project the absolute majority.
However, the social-cultural stance of Lostisland makes it handleable. After all, we don’t need to deal with ideological differences.
Lostisland.org: Recently you nominated for dismissal the Minister of Health, which ones again spurred allegations of your authoritarianism. Do you reject the claim that your style of governance is authoritarian?
Tezdzhanenko: I don’t reject that my style of governance is authoritarian, and I don’t believe that we should worship democracy and the rule of law as some sacred cow. Throughout my entire political career in Lostisland, not only I haven’t kept a single electoral promise, but I made it a central part of my program explicitly stating that neither I will keep any promise in the future. But I still got elected and re-elected, and if I resign tomorrow and run for PM again, I’ll still win. What is this if not clear evidence that democracy is useless?
But I must confess that the situation with the Minister of Health is not exactly how I wanted it to be. To be fair, the ministers forced me into this action. They were unhappy with his actions regarding COVID-19.
Lostisland.org: In general, how would you rate the performance of the Lostislandic Government? Do you believe the ministers do their job well?
Tezdzhanenko: In general, the Ministers are quite unsuccessful in doing their job. I hope to change this in my remaining time. We must still clean out the rat nest.
Lostisland.org: By saying that they’re unsuccessful do you mean simply low performance or possibly corruption in the government?
Tezdzhanenko: Both I guess.
Lostisland.org: Would you be able to elaborate on the allegations of corruption?
Tezdzhanenko: Well it is no secret that our Ministers take money for favors. This can be seen in the way they do not care about normal problems in our state.
Lostisland.org: If this is the case, why don’t you also nominate them for dismissal?
Tezdzhanenko: I do not consider our other citizens more capable. For this, we would then need to attract foreigners. As we can see from Ukraine, this does not always work out well. I am a proponent of creating the Lostislandic Monarchy in a way similar to Andorra and ruling by decree.
Lostisland.org: Do you believe that the President is responsible, at least partially, for corruption in the government? In your previous interview you’ve mentioned that he’s surrounded by incompetent advisors who hide from him the true state of affairs, but isn’t it possible to brief him on the situation?
Tezdzhanenko: Regarding the President; I don’t necessarily think it will work this way. He is deep inside the spider web: first, we have to kill the spiders and only then we can save the President.
Lostisland.org: Talking about the President: he has pledged that the Lostislandic website will be complete by the next Anniversary of Independence in September 2020. Do you believe this goal is realistic, and what is the reason why the website that was due to release in 2013 still isn’t complete?
Tezdzhanenko: This must be the incompetence of his close advisors. I personally am an IT professional, and I never was invited to develop the website: I think this says enough. At this pace by the time the website is completed, we already can start on the next one.
Lostisland.org: What will you focus on during the remaining two years of your current term?
Tezdzhanenko: Finding a suitable successor. As I announced last year during the presence of the Ambassador to the US in Moscow, I do not plan on running in 2022. I think it is time to pass the torch to someone else. If the President asks me to stay, I will consider a final term, but we have to consider what Lostisland has become; if truly a club of friends mostly based in Moscow, I am not sure if I am the one to lead the government.
Lostisland.org: Do you personally have a different vision for this organization?
Tezdzhanenko: Not necessarily a view, I think the Head of State needs to decide on the vision and the Prime Minister needs to coordinate the work of the Government which has the task to develop the view of the President into reality.
Lostisland.org: However, the President is known to never give interviews and is always ambiguous about his vision of Lostisland. Did he discuss it with you in more detail than in his public appearances?
Tezdzhanenko: I’m unable to comment on the affairs of His Excellency.
Lostisland.org: Is there something that you would like to wish to Lostislandic citizens on the anniversary of assuming office?
Tezdzhanenko: I’d hope that they all stay safe in the current pandemic and wish the families of our two COVID-19 cases all the best.
I also wish to speak to the corrupt officials: you know what you are! It is time for you all to resign and answer for your heresies before an independent court out of control of the corrupt Supreme Judge!
Lostisland.org: Thank you for the interview!
Prime Minister Denys Tezdzhanenko had previously been interviewed in 2019 and in 2018 ahead of his re-election.