Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 19 December (BelTA) – From the very beginning Belarus has been in favor of the peaceful solution of the conflict in Ukraine, Chairman of the House of Representatives Vladimir Andreichenko said at the closing of the fifth session of the House of Representatives, BelTA has learned.

According to him, today the strategy of fanning interethnic and interreligious hatred, indoctrinating extremism and waging information warfare is being increasingly used in the fight for geopolitical dominance today. "The crisis in Ukraine has become a major challenge to the entire international community. All this time we have anxiously followed the developments in the brotherly country. Belarusian MPs have voiced their position many times at different levels and venues, including the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, said Vladimir Andreichenko. From the very beginning Belarus called upon all parties to the conflict to renounce violence, find ways of resolving differences by peaceful means and negotiations,” the Speaker said.

However, Vladimir Andreichenko considers that Belarus has learned its lessons. Thus, the legal acts adopted at the session are designed to enhance the country's defense and protection of the state borders, to establish effective mechanisms for the protection of information. Conceptually new decisions were taken in the areas of criminal, administrative and procedural laws. The measures were tightened against corruption, extremism, and drug-trafficking. According to Vladimir Andreichenko, work is underway to improve the process of reviewing citizens’ appeals and complaints, and to prevent formalism and insensitivity to the concerns of people.