Lukashenko: society should not wave aside those ready to live in peace and to create
The dynamics of crime in Belarus have been among the central topics of today’s meeting with the President’s participation on the socio-political situation in the country
The Head of State also asked to pay special attention to terrorist crimes, “This is very important for us today, and protection of our people’s legitimate rights and interests is a vital matter – if drawing a line under the issues related to crimes and the criminal activity. This is the key point. We have been paying little attention to this problem lately, but it exists. It might be a drop in the ocean compared to other states, even the most democratic ones – but still we must not forget about it.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that he would like to discuss a very important topic in this regard, “How should we treat those who spoke out against our state not so long ago (we all remember the year 2020), who left the country, who are in prison now but have already repented and are afraid to return back [to the country] or appeal to me with a request for clemency. [I am speaking about] the prisoners in our country.”
The Head of State raised this topic for the first time on January 7th, during the Christmas service, and the conversation has today turned to practice. “I feel that a part of our society has a request on this topic. I instructed the [President] Administration to work out this issue with participation of the public and to propose a mechanism for its solution,” Aleksandr Lukashenko clarified.
The President then explained, “Why with participation of the public? Many people say that Lukashenko is no longer running the country, and it is rather Putin or the security forces who are doing this. I have already commented on the topic, and would like to emphasise once again: I am fulfilling my duties according to the Constitution of our country. I continue ruling the country in the same way I have done this previously. As regards the security forces, you cannot but agree that they played their role back in 2020. They did not betray me in general then. There were mistakes, but they fulfilled the tasks set clearly in general,” he said.
The President stressed that the security forces, like himself, know what happened, “We were opposing that process every minute, every second. I was aware of it, and I was making the appropriate instructions. The security units did not retreat and, by and large, did not fail anywhere. Of course, I take their views into account today, and the opinion of my guys who serve today in special forces (Alpha, Almaz, OSAM, OMON, SOBR), military people whom we attracted to restore order, our internal troops (their guys stood there to the death) is very important. Of course, I respect them immensely, I appreciate them and take their opinion into account.”
At the same time, the Head of State stressed that the fate of military people and civil servants is special. “We must react harshly in order to protect our country and the rule of law. We would like to proceed from the personal [feelings], but this is not our way: we are state people. In the same way as we demand and advance, we should also somewhere retreat – proceeding from state interests – and take a step forward, if necessary. Moreover, I already said in the church [during the Christmas service] that we should not create additional points of tension in our society. Those who are ready to live in peace, to create for the good of their country, should not be rejected by society. This is an axiom, and it was invented not by me. If we are wise people, if the government has signs of wisdom, then it should act in this way. We should not fence ourselves against those who stumbled but realised what they had done, but should take a step forward. This refers only to those who will be released from prison or return from abroad and become even greater yabatkas [Lukashenko supporters] than those who surround us today. There are persons of the kind, in fact.”
