Opinions & Interviews

Ambassador: EU sees Belarus as independent player in global politics
“The European Union has come to realize that our country pursues an independent and open international policy. Minsk is a major negotiating ground on Ukraine, we maintain good relations with Georgia and Moldova. This means that Belarus has a position of its own and this position is not at odds with the interests of our partners”...

Lukashenko, Putin set to resolve disputable issues
“Indeed, we can find common ground, because the delegations in attendance have held several rounds of negotiations. They know the issues inside and out and we are also well aware of the issues to be tackled today. It would be great to settle these issues so that we will not take the old problems into the new year”...

Lukashenko: Comprehensive cooperation is important for both Belarus and Russia
“I am not saying “a brotherly nation”, because as I have been informed, Russia does not perceive it this way, as new decision-makers there reject this notion. Okay, let us be partners”...

Sweden plans to invest more into Belarus’ economy
Head of the Department for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Andreas von Beckerath welcomed the reengagement between Belarus and Sweden...

Kochanova: Our Children campaign brings much joy to children
“I really appreciate the staff of this orphanage because they give the children their love and affection. All of them are our children, therefore our charity campaign is called this way”...

Speaker: Independence, sovereignty defined in Belarus-Russia Union State Treaty as firm principles
"Some of them, in my opinion, will be impossible to implement because the situation has changed. The Eurasian Economic Union has been set up. Therefore, our firm principles, and this is defined in the Union State Treaty, are independence and sovereignty"...

Lukashenko: BelTA is a reliable source of domestic and international news
“BelTA enjoys well-deserved respect and trust of numerous foreign partners. Together they implement important media projects, exchange advanced technologies,” the message of greetings reads...

Miss World Europe Belarus Maria Vasilevich shares impressions of pageant
Maria Vasilevich’ immediate goal is to pass a session in her Master’s degree program. In 2019 she will join the other Top 5 finalists in their charity trips around the world...

Call to continue work on business climate in Belarus
“We need to continue the work on cultivating a new business environment. We need to work continuously to make the tax legislation more capacious, transparent and understandable to economic operators,” Vladimir Andreichenko said...

Fairness described as pillar of Belarus’ national policy
“I have recently given an example. There was an opinion poll in Russia, and the majority of people requested fairness, not bread and butter. Many years ago I told you that fairness should be the pillar of our national policy,” Alexander Lukashenko stressed...

FM: Belarus will continue to strengthen independence, sovereignty
“Belarus must remain an independent state. We have dreamed of the sovereignty for centuries and must continue to work towards strengthening the independence and territorial integrity of the state,” Vladimir Makei said...

Germany supports Belarus in WTO accession
“We are very supportive of Belarus’ efforts to join the WTO. Your finance minister talked to our state secretary and clearly underlined that Belarus intends to join the WTO in 2019. It is very important,” Eckhard Franz said...

Inclusion of Budslau Fest into UNESCO list hailed as big event for Belarus
“The inclusion of the Budslau Fest into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is an honor for the Roman-Catholic Church. It is a big event for Belarus which becomes more recognizable worldwide thanks to this decision”...

Lukashenko: Belarusian athletes lack fighting spirit
“Sport is more than a fight, it is a war. Athletes should give them all at football stadiums and ice rinks. Only then they can win,” the president is convinced...

Belarus-Russia visa agreement to provide greater freedom to third-country nationals
“Russia has already posted the official version of the draft agreement on its information website to show its commitment to the single migration space”...

Lukashenko warns against doping in sports
"One anti-doping scandal tarnishes the entire country and all sports. You know how much attention it invites"...

Significant increase in tourist traffic from China to Belarus expected in 2019
"The most popular destinations they were interested in include the national park Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the Brest Fortress, the castles in Mir and Nesvizh. Chinese tourists are also interested in the so-called red tourism (places relating to the Communist past)"...

Belarus’ budget 2019 based on conservative scenario
"The budget is predicated on quite hard scenario of economic development and imposes a saving mode for budget-financed organizations. But this does not mean that it will somehow reduce the quality of budget services"...

Lukashenko on Russia’s tax maneuver: No catastrophe even in the worst scenario
“There will be no catastrophe in any case. We will just have to revise our domestic and foreign policy to a certain extent, especially in the financial sector”...

Bjorndalen: Minsk is a fantastic tourist city
“Minsk knocks you off. It is absolutely not the way you thought it would be. Belarusian traditions and hospitality are amazing. Minsk is among the cleanest cities I have ever seen. You have good parks, good air. It is very good for a city of two million. I am saying it as an athlete”...