Opinions & Interviews

Belarus president expects new director to raise BelTA to new heights

MINSK, 5 April (BelTA) – The Belarusian Telegraph Agency should reach new heights in its development. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the relevant statement as he appointed Irina Akulovich BelTA’s Director General on 5 April, BelTA has learned.

Alexander Lukashenko said: “If there are any problems and so on, you will often run into the president. Tell me directly then or via the press secretary or the Head of the Belarus President Administration. But instead of simply continuing the trend set by [BelTA’s previous director general Dmitry] Zhuk before your time I would like you to advance the agency to new heights. I think you will manage to accomplish it. It is good that you’ve risen from lower ranks. It is very good. You will feel the nation’s mood even better than I do although I get to meet people all the time.”

“I wouldn’t say your job will be difficult. I would like it to be just another step where we can, frankly speaking, see your work here because your work in Mogilev is one thing and your work here is a totally different thing,” noted Alexander Lukashenko. “Moreover, it is a mass media outlet. You are going to hear a lot of criticism. You will hear things you didn’t know about yourself in the past. You will have to calmly deal with it.”

“Your know the policy of the state and the president. Since you accept this job, it means you support the policy. I am not talking about the president but about the policy you and I should implement as of today in order to preserve the country, its independence, and sovereignty. We need this land to be ours, to be the land of our children and grandchildren, the land of all the people, who live here today,” added the Belarusian leader.

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