Opinions & Interviews

Leaders of former Soviet republics invited to visit Belarus more often on Victory Day

MINSK, 9 May (BelTA) - Representatives and heads of the former Soviet Union states should meet more often on Victory Day in Belarus, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko told the media in Minsk on 9 May, BelTA learned.

“9 May is a holiday for all and, above all, for the Belarusians. We, representatives of former Soviet republics and even heads of state,  should meet more often in Minsk, to pay homage to this holy land,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Commenting on media speculations as to why he chose not to go to Moscow, the president said: “I cannot say that nobody came. If the Russians or Russian leadership invited someone and they refused, then you could say ‘nobody came’. But as far as I am concerned: firstly, they did not invite me to Moscow today. Secondly, even if they did it would have been difficult to bring these events apart,” he said.

The head of state underlined that he cannot miss the Victory Day celebrations in Minsk. According to the president, if he missed the festive events in the Belarusian capital, people would have a lot of questions.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that Belarus is widely represented at the festive events in Russia. Many ordinary people and officials went there. Fro example Minsk Oblast Governor Anatoly Isachenko recently visited his hometown in Bryansk Oblast. “I asked him to convey our Russian friends our best wishes, Victory Day greetings,” the Belarusian head of state noted.

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