Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko lauds Belarus’ development path, thanks Trump for candor

MINSK, 30 July (BelTA) – Belarus chose the correct path of development based on the experience and achievements of the Soviet period, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting to discuss prospects for the development of the Horizont holding, including its enterprise Brest Electric Lamp Plant, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled how, at one time, he was called a communist in the post-Soviet space and criticized for refusing to fully transition to a market economy in the form in which it is understood in the West. “The market, competition, and so on… Throw everyone into this market, they will crawl out,” he quoted the statements made back then. “And they were throwing us into this market, understanding that we would not withstand competition with them [Western countries], and everything would become theirs.”

For Belarus, such a path was unacceptable. “We are not Americans, who tried to impose the market on us. We, unlike them, do not print money, dollars, that will be needed worldwide tomorrow. You know their advantages: through war and other things they achieved certain results,” the head of state noted.

“Thanks to Donald Trump. He is a more open politician, excessively open. Now we understand what kind of policy [the United States pursues toward other countries]. Now you understand what they wanted from us? Oil, money… If there is no oil, they bomb. He openly says that he does not need Venezuela for anything – he needs oil. I understood this long ago. I could not say it publicly,” the president emphasized.

As an example of a wise and balanced model of state development, Aleksandr Lukashenko cited China, where, unlike in the post-Soviet countries, the Communist Party and the system of state governance were not dismantled but strengthened. The Belarusian leader particularly highlighted the role of Chinese President Xi Jinping in this process, as he combined past experience with the present and delivered results. “How wisely the Chinese acted. We need to study this experience: it produces results,” the head of state said.

Belarus also acted correctly by not abandoning its Soviet past. “Time has passed, and we see that we were right. Thanks to the Russian president, who is now publicly saying: ‘Well done, Belarusians, they did not destroy anything; they preserved it, unlike us Russians, a rich country.’ I value this greatly; for me, it is a good assessment,” the Belarusian president said.

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