Big Conversation with the President
Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with members of the public, experts, and representatives of the Belarusian and foreign mass media on 1 March. The event in the unique format under the title The Big Conversation with the President brought together over 200 participants, among them journalists, political scientists, economists, employees of the real economy sector, representatives of public associations and the clergy.
For nearly 7.5 hours the meeting participants discussed the most relevant topics, problems and prospects of development of the country, issues on the international agenda. The event was broadcast live by the Belarus 1 TV channel and the Belarus 24 international satellite TV channel and on the internet.
Big Conversation seen as foundation of Belarus president’s address to nation, parliament
The head of state noted that today’s conversation, which involves everyone – citizens, authorities, representatives of Belarusian and international media communities, and experts of all kinds – is hugely important...
Independent mass media in Belarus urged not to cross acceptable boundaries
"Upon crossing these boundaries they can create an unequal balance in society. They need to understand the responsibility for every word because peace and stability in the country are much more important than professional ambitions"...
Lukashenko: Russia has no intention to absorb Belarus
"If we put the question about the unification of the two states or, like many want in Russia, about the inclusion of Belarus into Russia to a referendum, 90% will vote against"...
Lukashenko: Belarus and Russia need to be together
"I always said in Russia and here that our fate is to live together. When looking at people around, I can see what policies they pursue. It is the same, in relation to Russia, and in relation to Belarus. Only forms differ. Therefore, we need to be together"...
Lukashenko: Belarus will not take money for hosting Russian military facilities
“We will not take money from you, even if you do not regulate the tax maneuver, let this money stay with you. We will not take your money because it is our common security”...
Lukashenko: Belarus has never lived off Russia and never will
According to the president, the interest rate on Russia’s loan to build the Belarusian nuclear power plant stood at 4.8%, while that for Vietnam and Armenia was below 3%...
Impact of Russia’s tax maneuver on Belarusian economy seen as exaggerated
The president recalled that the tax maneuver in the oil industry in Russia will cost Belarus about $400 million this year. “With the GDP at more than $50 billion I think we will survive it somehow”...
Belarus president concerned about Russia’s unwillingness to negotiate long-term gas price
The president stressed that Belarus does not need cheap natural gas. “Our BelAZ, MAZ, MTZ, our people should have conditions on par with the conditions Russians enjoy. It is an unavoidable axiom. It is what all unions are all about,” the head of state pointed out...
Lukashenko: EAEU gets increasingly politicized
“Even if we put forward a sensible proposal to resolve one or another issue, we end up rendering a decision meaningless. Each country tries to make the free movement of goods, capital and people impossible and to bypass it, although this is the nuts and bolts of this union”...
Lukashenko: Belarus needs a national idea the entire country will support
"Everything I’ve been offered [patriotism, sovereignty, independence as the national idea] was something too worn out, something that doesn’t fit us, doesn’t rub us the right way as people say"...
Lukashenko: Belarus has done a lot to increase people’s earning power
“It is hard to find another such country that granted so many freedoms to entrepreneurs. You can get your business registered and start working within a day. There have been no complaints of red tape yet”...
Lukashenko pledges unprecedented support for families
“We will take decisions soon. They should be unprecedented. The most important thing is housing. If a family giving birth to a third child gets an apartment from the state virtually for free, it will be a great incentive for them to have more children”...
Plans to revise Belarus’ information security concept
Alexander Lukashenko said he believes that it is necessary to first of all get united inside the country in order to resist information assaults from the West or the East. Opposition has to be constructive...
Date of Belarus’ elections to be set in March-April
“I swear to you: even if the situation is really bad, I will never manipulate public opinion in order to find the right time to make a bid for power,” Alexander Lukashenko said. He noted that the election campaigns will be held within the coming two years...
Lukashenko: No intention to hold on to power to pass it on to children
“I promise you that I will not be president for life. I swear to you. Second thing: I promise that I will not hold on to power for the sake of my children and will not pass it on to them. I have no intention to do it,” Alexander Lukashenko said...
Belarus president in favor of supporting native language
“The Belarusian language is my native language for me. Just like the Russian language. The Russian language is also our language,” Alexander Lukashenko remarked...
Accomplishments of Belarusian agriculture praised
"I’ve been heavily criticized for reviving the countryside but today it is an internationally recognized project. Our sales are as large as $5.5 billion"...
Capital amnesty under consideration in Belarus
“We should consult with the private sector. We don’t want it to be a blank shot. If business circles convince me that it has to be done and will produce the desired effect, we will go for it”...
Belarus president describes possible deployment of missiles in Ukraine as catastrophe
“You have to understand that Russians will not allow these missiles to be deployed over there. We will absolutely support Russians on this. This is why Ukraine must in no shape or form take steps in this direction”...
Lukashenko predicts Poroshenko’s victory in presidential election in Ukraine
"Poroshenko will be the president. He will advance to the second round. Maybe Zelensky will too. Or maybe someone else. Those who voted for Zelensky in the first round will probably vote for him in the second"...
Belarus described as good place to resolve conflict in Ukraine
“My attitude to Ukraine is that it is our Slavonic country. It is in trouble. We need to resolve this problem. I tell every Russian leader: don’t flatter yourself that you are big and will win. If Americans deploy intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles in Ukraine, you will be in trouble”...
Lukashenko: Talks on Ukraine will gain momentum if United States joins them
"I said long ago that until the Americans join or support the existing format and the talks that were held in Minsk, they will not make much sense. So it happened. I publicly urged to bring the United States to the negotiating table of the Normandy Four"...
China described as reliable and supportive partner for Belarus
The president added that some time ago Belarus was strongly dependent on the Russian market, now we have a formula of an export oriented country (30x30x30) thanks to China and other countries...
Lukashenko plans to visit China in April
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko plans to visit China in April to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum...
Lukashenko speaks about role of personal relations in politics
"It takes just one phone call by Ilham [President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev] or my phone call to him to resolve all kinds of issues. This is to illustrate what personal relations between national leaders are about and what impact they have on interstate relations"...
Lukashenko gives details about meeting with presidents of Russia, Iran, Turkey in Sochi
The working visit of the Belarusian president to Russia coincided with the tripartite summit on Syria. That was a good opportunity to discuss topical international issues in a wider format. Belarus has long-standing friendly political, economic, and humanitarian ties not only with Russia but also with Turkey and Iran...
Lukashenko opines on France’s reaction to Yellow Vest protests
"Who taught us democracy first of all? The European Union did. France was the bulwark of democracy there. Who used tear gas against Yellow Vests not long ago? Did you think the democracy in France was about this? No"...
Lukashenko: No obstacles towards privatization in Belarus
According to Alexander Lukashenko, he is not ready to throw the agriculture, which has not recovered fully, into hot water by transferring it into private ownership and stripping it of subsidies. The president cited Agrokombinat Snov as an example of a successful company...
Lukashenko in favor of new Constitution
“I swear that this Constitution will not be forced. This will not happen. Everything will be absolutely fair because no one else is more interested in things going well in the future, and I do not want people to blame me. I want the Constitution to conform to those realities that we will have in our country in the future”...
Belarus president in favor of step-by-step approach to Helsinki 2 initiative
“It is time when we should convene Helsinki 2 somewhere and talk seriously at least at the level of OSCE heads of state [the last meeting of the OSCE heads of state took place in Astana in 2010, the previous one in Istanbul in 1999]. We cannot dash ahead. We have to do it step by step”...
Belarus president wants construction of museum block in Minsk expedited
Alexander Lukashenko said: “If it doesn’t cost much and the work can be done faster, I will help later on, we are going to build it anyway. Preferably faster”...
