Updated at 17:53,27-03-2024

Lukashenka: Political analysts and reporters didn't hear me

charter97.org

Reasons behind the conflict situation around restrictions on food supplies to Russia lie outside Belarus.

Belarus President Aliaksandr Lukashenka made the statement at the government conference held on 11 December to discuss topical economy development matters.

“You may have noticed that Russian mass media are once again starting to reproach us, particularly me, that Lukashenka is raising the problem to the very top. I should say that these tame political analysts and reporters — I cannot expect anything good from those at all — didn't hear Lukashenka well when I reproached my government exactly for raising the problem to the highest level,” said the head of state.

“I would like to underline that we absolutely shouldn't move any problems in mutual relations to any levels, particularly relations with the Russian Federation. It is not profitable for us. We don't need it. And the key thing is that we were not the cause of the conflict,” noted the President. “Working from the bottom, we have held negotiations with all kinds of government functionaries to reach top levels of the Russian government”.

“Therefore, Belarusians cannot be blamed for the scandal if one can call it that. But it is not the first time,” he said.

“I would advise smart Russian political analysts and reporters to look for the cause not in Belarus but somewhere over there, in Moscow. But it is their problem,” he said.

Addressing the government, Lukashenka noted he would like to hear how his instruction to resolve the situation was being fulfilled and whether the restrictions set by the Russian side were justified. “It is necessary to sell more and buy less in order to have more money and gold and foreign exchange reserves. It is a simple formula but for us it is a very important one,” said the head of state. He noted he would like to hear about the state of affairs on the Russian market in view of the Russian ruble devaluation. Apart from that, the President asked about details of the session of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission that had taken place the day before, the decisions made by the Council and their implementation.