Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko warns Western countries against destabilizing internal situation in Belarus

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BREST Oblast, 6 October (BelTA) - The state will not allow Western countries to destabilize the situation in Belarus, including during the 2024 election campaign, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko told the media during a working trip to Brest Oblast, BelTA has learned.

The journalists inquired about the preparations for the upcoming election campaign and asked to comment on some statements about the alleged predetermined outcome.

Aleksandr Lukashenko explained that the state does not hide its intention to influence the electoral process, but only in part that concerns working with people, explaining to voters what this or that candidate is really worth, so that no scoundrels can take advantage of the situation. In addition, local authorities will be involved in the organization of the electoral process in one way or another, since the CEC does not have a sufficient number of employees for this.

However, the president ruled out any attempts to put pressure on voters: "People need information, a breakdown of what is going. Conveying the truth to the people is the job of the parliament speakers, governors, the entire vertical of power."

The head of state also stressed the importance of ensuring continuity in the parliament. "We need experience. It is not good when all experienced MPs leave parliament and new ones come in and take a year and a half (I worked in the parliament) to learn which door to enter," the president said.

Answering a clarifying question whether there is a possibility that the events of 2020 may repeat themselves and Western countries interfere in the upcoming elections, Aleksandr Lukashenko said: "It will not happen again. It's impossible." Belarus no longer believes in the good intentions of the collective West. After the democratic elections in the country in 2020, no one in the West said "thank you".

"Now we will not play democracy games with them. We will approach things solely from our own positions. Because we have seen what kind of ‘democracy’ it is," the head of state said.

The head of state stressed that Belarus will rely on the experience gained during the 2020 election campaign: "We have already had enough of this. We are experienced people, we are learning properly."

"They’d better not even try to destabilize the situation in Belarus. We will not allow this. Also because we have you, and I am personally responsible for you. I mean the supporters who have relied on the president, including the security forces. I am responsible for you," Aleksandr Lukashenko said. "I and all of us will not allow anyone to destabilize the situation in the country. This is your country. Those who are rocking the boat know where it will lead."

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