MINSK, 17 October (BelTA) - Parliamentary relations between Belarus and Venezuela will gain a new momentum, Speaker of the Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova said as she met with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto in Minsk on 17 October, BelTA has learned.
"For us, as a chamber of territorial representation, cooperation in the inter-parliamentary dimension is very important. We are sure that your visit will give a new momentum to our parliamentary relations," Natalya Kochanova said. “I am deeply convinced that in this time of great turbulence in the world, when everything is very unstable, countries such as Venezuela and Belarus show an example of how to live according to one’s own laws, traditions and be guided by interests of people. The role of parliamentarians in cooperation in international organizations is all the more important."
The speaker thanked Venezuela for supporting Belarus in all international organizations. "These years have not been easy for us. The external situation around Belarus has been challenging," the speaker of the Council of the Republic stressed.
"As for the domestic political situation in Belarus, it is stable. Belarus is moving forward, adopting the laws that our people need today. In 2022, we amended the Basic Law - the Constitution. Today we have almost brought all the laws in line with the updated Constitution," Natalya Kochanova noted. “We have a stable economy. The state implements all the social programs it has undertaken. It's very important for us.”
Sanctions , interference in the internal affairs of Belarus, attempts by the West to destabilize the situation have failed, the speaker stated. "You understand perfectly well how difficult it is for any country to develop in such a situation. But it is very important that there are friendly countries, that prioritize their own national interests," Natalya Kochanova added. "We have never threatened anyone and will never be a source of aggression against another country. We understand perfectly well what peace is."
"A lot depends on MPs in this matter. We must convey the truth to our colleagues whether they would like to hear it or not. We are obliged to do this - to convey the truth about the peace-loving policy of our country. This is why we pay special attention to cooperation between the MPs of our countries," Natalya Kochanova said.