News & Events in Belarus
Lukashenko comments on modern challenges
MINSK, 10 November (BelTA) – In the face of the current challenges, it is important to stand firm and be strong in order to keep your state intact, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB) Mikhail Orda in Minsk on 10 November, BelTA has learned.
The head of state, in particular, spoke about the situation with the spread of coronavirus and reaffirmed the correctness of Belarus’ response strategy: "Now everyone understands that I am right. It's psychosis, a true psychosis that has taken all over the world. I can repeat what I said before the election: some benefit from this. Now we see who."
"The world is being redrawn. Covid is not a medical term. It's not so much a disease. It's not even the economy today. This is already a global policy. They started to redraw the world. Riots broke out everywhere. But more is yet to come as the world is reeling from the consequences of the economy collapse," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
He noted that, for example, some EU countries are looking to lose up to 20% of GDP this year. "The United States is facing problems. One percent down there entails the collapse of the entire world economy. China is missing the GDP it used to have. Therefore, more is yet to come!" the head of state said.
In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized the importance of maintaining stability in Belarus, despite all possible difficulties. "Our protesters, and those who have run abroad, to Poland and Lithuania, hope that by the spring the economy will collapse in Belarus, as everywhere else, and ‘they will overtake Belarus nice and easy.’ Not gonna happen! They will not overtake Belarus nice and easy! We are going to stand firm!” the president said. “indeed, there will be problems in the economy. But we will try to withstand and keep what we have now. But we need to tell people, labor collectives, organizations, that this time will not be easy. Whoever stands firm will survive and save their state."
They say that Belarusians are welcome abroad, but these are fairy tales, the president said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko recently warned doctors not to go abroad, in particular to Poland who are seeking to attract doctors. "Recently I spoke about doctors. I don't know how doctors understood my message but I would like to confirm that we do not mind helping others to tackle Covid. Poland, for example. The situation in Russia is not easy either... No one is against helping, but it should be done in the right way,” the head of state said. "We don't mind our doctors going there but it has to be done in an organized way."
Belarus has experience, good specialists and doctors, Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed. “If you [foreign countries] want us to help you – no problem. We will help you, share our expertise. We keep in touch with China, and we will help you, if needed. However, above all we should take care of our own people, our own country. Just like the Poles do. They are our neighbors. Poland’s population, the Poles are not to blame for the policy of their government. They are against it themselves. Look, protests in Poland have swelled to two million people. The Polish people do not like the policy pursued by Duda and others,” the president said.
Belarusian doctors will not be able to work there at full strength, Aleksandr Lukashenko believes. “They will be assigned some minor, secondary roles. I would not like someone to mistreat our people and our doctors like that,” he noted.
“This is why I am warning you: think carefully before going there. This is what I meant, not because I want to close the country off and forbid someone to leave. We are not going to close off, we cannot do this. We have an export-oriented economy and we are not the USA, China, or even Russia, to afford being isolated. The world is completely different,” the Belarusian head of state pointed out.
No one is banned from leaving, the president noted. “Those who want are free to leave. Pursuing easy money will lead to certain obligations and consequences. Just like I said: they work there (earn their big money) and then return to Belarus to get healthcare services, education, and so on. If you leave then stay there and get those services there. In Belarus, these sectors are subsidized, and the healthcare sector is almost fully funded from the national budget. We pay for all this. Those who go abroad do not pay taxes. We should tell people the truth, this bitter truth, and not expect someone to solve our problems,” he added.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also spoke about military security. “You heard it yesterday, this is also important: Poland and the USA concluded another agreement on military cooperation. New troops are already being redeployed from the USA (not from Germany to Poland). The question is why. If some Belarusians, especially those protesters, do not understand it yet, they should think harder and realize that the situation is not that easy. If someone wants to make Belarus a province of Poland or Lithuania, they will have to run me over first. They should understand this,” the president added.
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