Opinions & Interviews

Lavrov: Constitutional reform is a much needed platform for national dialogue in Belarus

Sergey Lavrov. Photo courtesy of the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW, 3 November (BelTA) – It is up to the Belarusian people to decide on the scale of constitutional reform in Belarus. How much it meets the expectations of external observers is a minor issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper, the text of which has been posted on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BelTA has learned.

"First of all, it is up to the Belarusian people to decide how large constitutional reforms should be," Sergey Lavrov said. “If the proposals approved by the Belarusian People's Congress are adopted in a popular referendum, which, as I understand, is in the workings, then this is how it should be. Whether their depth meets the expectations of outside observers is a minor issue," he said.

"As for the constitutional reform as a whole, as you know, Russia supports this initiative of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko," the Russian foreign minister continued. “First of all, this creates a much-needed platform for national dialogue. It is important that the country's leadership declares an intent to involve large segments of the population in this process by gathering citizens' proposals for amendments to the Constitution. It would not be right to ignore this approach and the opportunities it offers. Of course, no one should interfere in this work in any way - neither Russia nor other countries."

Sergey Lavrov stressed that the brotherly Belarusian people and the Belarusian state are an ally and a strategic partner for Russia. "If the people of Belarus have made their choice, we must respect it and we will. This was clearly confirmed by President Vladimir Putin in a congratulatory message to President Aleksandr Lukashenko in connection with his victory in the election," the Russian foreign minister said.

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