News & Events in Belarus

Alexander Lukashenko noted that a lot was done to establish close ties with the Vatican and the Pope during Claudio Gugerotti’s work in Belarus. “I would like to assure you that we are not going to abandon the policy. If someone thinks that Lukashenko is changing his attitude towards Catholics, the Catholic Church, and the Vatican, it is absolutely not so. It is total rubbish,” stated the Belarus President. “We are changing nothing. We have not courted the Catholic, the Orthodox, or other ones. We have been pursuing an honest and sincere policy.”

Alexander Lukashenko continued: “Some of our citizens are Catholics. They are believers. They are principled people and I respect their stance.”

According to the President, every person has to decide for themselves which road to the temple they should take. “I have been pursuing this policy for twenty years. It will always be like that. Do you want to be a Catholic? Go right ahead. Would you like to be an Orthodox? Be my guest. If you want to preach the Jewish religion, the Muslim one, or Buddhism, we won’t stop you. You are free to choose any religion, we will never interfere with that. If you don’t want to go to church, you don’t have to. We are not going to oppress anyone and force them to accept religion. People have to make their own choices.”

Addressing the Apostolic Nuncio, Alexander Lukashenko also noted: “It is important for you to welcome convinced people instead of people, who come by accident.” “It is a general approach of the humanity. You understood it. You always supported us in this regard,” stressed the head of state.