Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko on election 2020: I am not holding to the post, but will offer my candidacy
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, he is not holding to the post but believes it is right to offer his candidacy when people will be making their choice...

Minsk church hosts concert to celebrate 75th anniversary of Soviet victory in Great Patriotic War
According to Fyodor Povny, soil from all Great Patriotic War graves in Belarus as well as memorials of hero cities and military glory memorials of Russia and other post-Soviet countries will be brought into the undercroft of the Church of All Saints...

China’s experience of development viewed as important for Belarus
“The goals of social and economic development of Belarus almost coincide with those of social and economic development of the People's Republic of China. Belarus has entered a period of systemic modernization of its economy”...

Call for equal rights of Belarusian, Russian border guards
“The new agreement has to straighten out all the issues. We are equal partners – Russian border guards and Belarusian ones,” Anatoly Lappo continued. “We’ve always honored our Union State commitments and will continue doing so. We’ve never had any complaints. But we demand respect as well”...

Makei unveils Belarus’ foreign policy objectives
The minister reiterated that Belarus is “in a tricky and very sensitive situation” as it is located along the borderline between two major geopolitical players – Russia in the east and the European Union in the west...

PM announces goals of Belarus’ competition program
The Belarusian head of government believes that the state policy in the field of competition should focus on two main areas...

Belarus president makes ardent speech at business forum in Vienna
Aleksandr Lukashenko stated: “I think meetings in this format have been long overdue. The private sector of our countries expects clear political signals (count it as a signal if necessary) demonstrating the readiness of Minsk and Vienna to make the bilateral relations long-term ones. The purpose of my official visit to the capital of Austria is to confirm Minsk’s interest in building solid ties not only with European politicians but with the private sector as well”...

Mutual interest in tighter Belarus-Austria relations noted
Alexander Van der Bellen remarked upon certain rapprochement between Belarus and the European Union. Aleksandr Lukashenko’s visit to Austria is part of the process...

Belarus described as absolutely open country
“We are an absolutely open country. I can assure you, we are more open than you. Citizens of about 90 states have the ability to enter the authoritarian, as you put it, Belarus without visas. We are absolutely open to all,” the head of state noted...

Lukashenko opines on possibility of abolishing death penalty in Belarus
Aleksandr Lukashenko stated that the European Union is demanding that Belarus abolish death penalty. “We cannot disregard this matter, to be honest. We often conduct opinion polls on death penalty. Nothing has changed since the referendum took place”...

Belarus interested in studying Swedish experience of reaching SDGs
Marianna Shchetkina noted that active work is in progress in Belarus with a view to achieving the SDGs. She mentioned Belarus’ priorities in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development...

Opinion: Lukashenko’s visit to Austria will build a stronger foundation for bilateral relations
Austria is looking forward to the Belarusian president’s visit, David Stockinger said. “We are confident that this is a step forward, an opportunity to build a stronger foundation for the economic and humanitarian relations”...

Diplomat: Lukashenko’s visit to UAE took place in amiable, candid atmosphere
“It is important that the meetings were really candid and friendly. The Emirati friends tried not to overburden the program with excessive formalities. I would like to emphasize that such a level of involvement during official visits to the UAE is pretty rare. Such a narrative happens only between closest friends,” Andrei Luchenok said...

Belarus presents proposals on developing Eastern Partnership till 2030
The visit of Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei to Sweden on 5 November was the first working trip to Sweden in the history of Belarusian-Swedish relations...

Speaker: Belarus’ 2020 budget should lay groundwork for new five-year term
The 2020 budget bill was the main item on the agenda of the meeting. “The document should lay the groundwork for the new five-year period that starts in 2021 and also for reaching the GDP target of $100 billion by 2025,” Vladimir Andreichenko said...

Eismont comments on Medvedev’s response to Lukashenko’s words
“Everything is absolutely clear. Speaking about it, the president meant that both Belarus and Russia had had enough of fighting. Nevertheless, as long as this topic has been raised, I cannot but mention a few points”...

Belarus’ diplomat criticizes UN Human Rights Council
Valentin Rybakov admitted the important role of the UN Human Rights Council in the international human rights efforts. He emphasized that this organization should focus on real work to promote human rights and to improve national capacities for better protection and promotion of human rights...

SCO supports Belarus’ IT ecosystem initiative
Vladimir Norov stressed that Belarus has already achieved tangible results in the IT sector and export of IT products, so the country could initiate joint events, conferences, and roundtables...

Uzbekistan has high hopes for agreements with Belarus
“We have actually ensured that the results of our negotiations with the Belarusian president do not remain on paper but are put into practice,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed...

Belarus promised USA’s support in joining WTO
Jenifer Moore noted that joining the WTO is not an easy process and the USA welcomes the fact that after quite a lengthy pause Belarus rather seriously stepped up its efforts in this direction in the last few years...