Alyaksandr Lukashenka's press-conference

Lukashenka asked to name his competitor in elections

However, Alyaksandr Lukashenka does not see any competitors among the opposition leaders.

“As for the so-called opposition candidates, I do not want them at any position in Belarus. As a Belarusian”, - Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said at the press-conference.

“Lukashenka may be good or bad, but he is the President. You can criticize me, but this should not harm Belarus… Just recall the incident with dissolvents – come to me, and I will tell you what happened there!”

Lukashenka tells when to expect the local border traffic with Poland

According to him, it will happen simultaneously with the Belarusian-Lithuanian local border traffic.

Belarus state leader says that the official Minsk has a series of questions to Warsaw, both political and economic. “I will not give details – there’s a whole bucket of issues”.

РАР journalist asked whether Belarus would celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Kalinouski rebellion together with Poland. “I haven’t heard about such events. If there are such suggestions, and they do not contradict our policy, we do not object”, - Lukashenka has said. 

Lukashenka wants to take cars away from drunk drivers

He has said this at the press-conference.

“We should take serious measures against the drunkards, if they drive under the influence. It became worse than in the Soviet times. However, objectively, one of the two citizens has a car today”.

“If you ran over a person during your drunk driving, you should never drive again. You should be deprived of this weapon. This is my opinion”.

“There is also another angle of the issue – look at the pedestrians…” According to him, people run even across the Minsk belt road. 

State not to give up “Belaruskaliy”

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said this answering the question of the Bloomberg agency.

“The price is set – you are welcome. However, the state will keep the controlling set in any case”, - the state leader has said. 

Belarus state leader thinks that there should be state-owned media

He answered this to the question of Narodnaya Volya journalist Alena Malochka.

She asked whether it was worth it to set the newspapers free from the state instead of creating the newspaper holding.

Lukashenka: If the newspapers liberated from the state, I would stand for that. However, I think that every country has state-owned media – in different scope and turnout”.  

“This is incorrect to say that our media are neglected. We need to have state-owned media in order to play a noticeable role in this sector”.

“The main initiator of the holding creating is the SB Editor-in-Chief Pavel Yakubovich. Let him tell you about this”.  

Lukashenka says Khalip doesn’t want to emigrate

Tatsyana Karavinkova from BelaPAN asked this question.

She reminded the state leader about his statement to the British journalists that Iryna Khalip was free and could leave the country if she wanted.

“Khalip refused to go. He is a martyr here, and there, in the United Kingdom, no one will need her, the same as her husband”, - Lukashenka has said.

The journalist also asked about the recent notorious cases, like the case of car parking guard Vasil Sarochyk.

“If a person participated in mass disturbances, there will be no indulgence for them”, - the state leader has said.

The journalist clarified: “You mean, if a person committed a crime, he can be treated like an animal?”

“Why animal? Animals are innocent, we should treat them well”.

Euroradio journalist passes the “list of banned musicians” to Radzkou

This happened after the question to the state leader.

Euroradio’s Editor-in-Chief Vital Zyblyuk asked the question about the black lists of musicians. “Maybe this is decided at the level of local officials, while the President knows nothing about it?”

Lukashenka ordered Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Alyaksandr Radzkou to learn the situation with the “black lists”.

Lukashenka flies in used jet

Ales Dashchynski, Radio Liberty: In the Year of Economy, will the leader show an example – will you give up a Maybach, a jet, the great number of bodyguards? Will you invite journalists to your residence?

Lukashenka: “I don’t intend to invite journalists, but if you wish – be my guests. I live in the residence built by Pyotr Masherau.”

“If you saw the residences where the Russian and Ukrainian leaders live, you would say – Lukashenka, move!”

“The Presidential jet is normally changed every 3-5 years – mine still flies, although I have been the President for nearly 20 years. My jet is used, I saved on it”.

“The expensive watch was a birthday present… A President is a standard, he represents you! For me, the best clothes I would like to wear are the sportive ones. I don’t wear the watch at home, only in public. The “Maybach” also was a birthday present, and I gave it to the state. This is the presidential car, which the state obtained for free. I can sell it – but who will buy it? You? If no, then name the person who would buy it. No one needs it apart from the state leader.”

“The jet was less than $100 million. A new jet is $250-300 million. So, this is economically beneficial”. 

I am almost a professional footballer

“Mir” TV-company asked whether the state leader has free time for music and hobbies. 

“I don’t have time for music. However, if I walk and see an accordion, I won’t restrain myself, although my fingers got used to the hockey stick alone”, - says Lukashenka.

“I am almost a professional footballer… Being a President, I learned how to ski, to roller-skate, to play hockey. This is what I’ve acquired as a President. As for music, I don’t have time for it. I am no longer a musician!” 

We need to find $1 billion

The question of Yauhen Kananovich from Novaya Gazeta concerned debts payments: where will we find the money for that?

Lukashenka said that “about $3 billion we’ve paid… We need to find one more billion this year. I think we’ll manage to do that”.

According to the state leader, “the country won’t fall apart if we don’t pay these debts. It will be easier afterwards”.

There won’t be property sells in order to pay the debts, promises Alyaksandr Lukashenka. 

Lukashenka invited to Georgia

The question about Georgia. Lukashenka has said that there were consultations of the issue of Georgia’s comeback to the CIS, even if just as an observer. However, he doesn’t see much desire of this from the side of the Georgian government. So, this issue will become a challenge for the new authorities of the country.

Lukashenka got the invitation from Georgia’s President and is going to negotiate with Georgian government in the nearest future. 

About the Chinese

Lukashenka refuted the information there would be mass arrival of the Chinese to Belarus. He underlined that “The EU refuse to accept promotion of China at their territory”. “We will benefit from what China suggests us”, - he said. He also reminded about the Techno Park, which is to be constructed near Smalyavichy. “If this project is carried out, we will get about $45 K to the country’s budget”, - Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said. 

About Mikalaj and the weapons

Lukashenka: "My youngest son e-mailed Santa Claus! He asked for some pneumatic weapons… The future riot policeman!”.

About bandits and businessmen

Lukashenka: “I ordered the Presidential Administration so that they should make all bandits and businessmen to go to the children (before the New Year). I would like to thank all the categories I’ve mentioned – all of them did!” (laughter in the audience) 

About the homeless

Journalist of Chashniki district radio asked about the issue of the dependants – what will happen to them next? It turned out that there are about 8 thousand dependants and 4 thousand homeless people on the record in the country.

"We’ve pressed all kinds of dependants and homeless and we will go on pressing them”, - Lukashenka has said. 

Lukashenka: "I am an old frontier guard"

Lukashenka doesn’t think that Lithuania’s presidency in the EU will influence the Minsk-Brussels relations. “If they send planes to our territory, we will enforce the border”, said Lukashenka, and added “I am an old frontier guard”.

About the end of the world

Answering the question of the ONT journalist with regard to the development of the economy, Lukashenka noted there were some positive tendencies at the financial market. He confessed that he was surprised when they told him that mostly pensioners bought currency in the currency exchange offices.

Lukashenka: “The end of the world didn’t come, but the stabilization in our economy did.”

The state leader also recalled the provocative text messages, massively sent recently.

About the  "black lists"

Lukashenka: Someone called Kullinkovich asked me whether I knew about the "black lists" of Belarusian musicians. I don't know anything about it. Report, whether such lists exist. I did not give such orders...".

***

Many our sportsmen, like businessmen, drive foreign-made cars.

***

Lukashenka also recalled the question of "some Chaly economist" with regard to whether the discharge of government was being prepared. He called it "a politicized question". Lukashenka told about the decision-making procedure.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka refuted rumours on possible government discharge: "I think Chaly is not capable of replacing a PM, or any Minister, so far".

Stanislau Bahdankevich stands for the independence of the National Bank, says Lukashenka. He is still reading out the questions, published at the web-portal tut.by.

Lukashenka: "The President can demand report anytime, can control it. It will be so by now".

***

I got the latest media review today. Here is one of the questions of the so-called "Solidarity" - they want me to repent for the economic problems. Well. I do. I repent three times.

In his welcoming speech, Alyaksandr Lukashenka noted the economic success, including the 20% growth of the "real incomes of the population". It was a hard year, says the state leader. However, they coped with the problems. Lukashenka underlined that Belarusians should work harder.

***

The press-conference starts at 12 a.m. It will be broadcasted live at the First National Channel of the Belarusian Radio.   BELTA notes that more than 350 journalists of 285 media are expected to participate in the event.

The TV-version will be shown in the evening by the TV-channels "Belarus-1", ONT, STV and "Mir".

Photo - ria.ru