President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said at a press conference for Belarusian and foreign mass media on December 23 that "there’s no dictatorship in the Belarusian parliament".
"Dictatorship is only in the president’s hands. He has the right to take any decision alone", said the President.
The Belarusian leader noted that he had knowingly appointed Mikhail Miasnikovich Prime Minister. "He is a man of members, he is sometimes afraid of making decisions single-handedly. But he knows how to organize a team," said the president.
"Checks and balances are everywhere. But you do not want to see that, it’s easier for you to blame the president for dictatorship. Fair-not fair – that’s the main thing for me. There are questions above the law - questions of justice. If I see something wrong, I immediately intervene," said Alexander Lukashenko.
Lukashenko: people will decide whom to choose in parliament
As for the upcoming elections in fall, the president claims the elections are not rigged in the country. "The parliament will be solely elected by the people. Frankly speaking, I’m going to make speeches during the parliamentary elections, to influence people, and then we'll see who will go to parliament, how many members of opposition and the fifth column will be there. Your implication is completely unacceptable. They are your people and you’ve lost by law," the Head of State appealed to the journalists of independent publications.
"Do not think that we are going to violate the parliamentary elections. As head of state I promise that we will hold fair elections. I will not interfere in the process. There will be no more than eight or ten opponents in parliament anyway, even if we take them by hand there. Some members of the opposition are simply afraid to go even into smaller labor groups," said the Belarusian leader.
"Do not blame me that we do not have that power. You get the power you deserve. You are to blame for the fact that you are in the minority. Do not reproach, but be open to the people," advised Alexander Lukashenko.
