Lukashenka — Euroradio: You can criticize anyone but do not insult them
The Belarusian leader is meeting Belarusian journalists at the moment. The press conference has been organized in the conference hall of the National Library.
Maryna Koktysh from “Narodnaya Volya”: Release Sannikau and Statkevich… You pardoned those who had stolen millions…
What should happen in the country to make you resign?
Lukashenka evaded the question. He noted: “If the majority vote for it, There will be no Lukashenka tomorrow…”.
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Editor-in-chief of Euroradio Vital Zyblyuk has asked Alyaksandr Lukashenka the following question: Do you have a sense of humour, do you know jokes about you and what is your attitude to jokes about you on Belarusian TV channels?
Lukashenka to Euroradio: You can criticize anyone and you can joke. But do not insult anyone personally.
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Lukashenka: We have restored enough castles… I think we should invest money in the industry now.
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Lukashenka has explained how he can save money: I can ask my friends in the Emirates and Qatar and they will buy me 2 suits...
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Ullyana Babayed from “Komsomolskaya Pravda in Belarus” asked him whether he had changed his way of life during the crisis.
Lukashenka: I did not buy hockey sticks and skates during the crisis; I had enough of them… I only eat Belarusian food, I cannot make myself eat anything foreign.
According to Lukashenka, the PM earned 3.5 thousand dollars a month before the crisis.
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Zmiser Pankevets from “Nasha Niva” mentioned the problem of political prisoners again, reminded about their bad health and asked: “What would you feel is they died in prison?” Lukashenka avoided answering the question and asked many times: “What do you blame me for?”.
Lukashenka: I have the right to pardon them. I will consider their appeals only if they plea for mercy.
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Lukashenka: If someone gave us 100 billion euro now, we would not swallow it!
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Lukashenka: It was not me – the Belarusian people demanded the economy to be socially oriented. You did not allow me to use market methods. I want us to have a normal economy. Without beggars and rich men in Mercedeses.
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About the IMF credit: We will agree if they give us 5 billion dollars.
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Valyantsin Zhdanko from Radio Liberty mentioned the reforms and changes that may be started in Russia after the protest actions. Do you think it is time to conduct election reforms in Belarus?
Lukashenka: Speaking about reforms… We will conduct a fair parliamentary election. I can guarantee it as the state leader. I will not interfere in the parliamentary election. I do not think that there will be more than 8 or 9 opposition members [in the Parliament]… Even if we hand them there.
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An ONT journalist asked Lukashenka about his reaction to various statements made about him in connection with the metro blast in Minsk. Isn’t it time to abolish the death penalty in Belarus? – he asked.
Lukashenka discussed the problem of the death penalty with the journalist.
He referred to the results of the death penalty referendum.
Lukashenak says that information about one more possible explosion in the metro appeared but he descended there 40 minutes later anyway. “I had no choice, I had to risk and go there”, - he said.
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Answering the question of the editor-in-chief of “Alesya” magazine about assistance to children, Lukashenka said: We pay as much as we can to help bring up children now.
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Will the usage of the Belarusian language be increased on the state level? – asked Hanna Kaushul, journalist of the newspaper “Hlybokaye Bulletin”.
In what way? — asked Lukashenka.
"Only a few questions have been asked in Belarusian at the press conference. I wish people spoke Belarusian more”, - said the journalist.
Lukashenka: The Belarusian language will not become obsolete... To tell the truth, I would not like to discuss the issue… It is up to everyone to choose… we have two state languages…
Lukashenka answered the question in Russian and said only a few phrases in Belarusian. He suggested that the question should have been addressed to the Minister of Culture, Pavel Latushka.
Maryna Zolatava from the Belarusian portal tut.by asked about the reasons for the detention of well-known businessman Victar Shautsou. She also wondered why businessman Uladzimir Peftsiyeu had left Belarus.
Lukashenka: I will ask them to find it out by the end of the press conference… about Shautsou… A criminal case has been stared against him… for a theft, export of money and violations in Venezuela… He used to be in the detention centre. Shautsou committed economic crimes. He will stay in prison if he does not pay! How much? I think the sum is huge… We should inform the population about it.
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A journalist of “Astravets Pravda” has wondered about the future of Astravets in connection with the construction of Astravets NPP. Will new vacancies be created?
Lukashenka has promised to do everything “to avoid problems in the city”. Lukashenka: Astrasvets agriculture should be developed like NPP technologies.
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The information agency BelaPAN has wondered why Lukashenka won’t pardon Sannikau, Statkevich ad Bandarenka.
Lukashenka: I do no understand why you have mentioned Dzmitry Bandarenka… I can pardon those who plea for mercy. If they don’t, they will stay in prison!
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A journalist of the broadcasting company “Mahilyou” has asked what should be done about those Belarusians who leave to work abroad.
Lukashenka: It is necessary to create good working conditions at home and people will stop leaving… I do not think that many people have fled abroad…
The state leader thinks that directors of construction companies have stopped paying attention to their staff. The policy concerning heads of construction organizations will become stricter on January 1.
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Our turnout with the European Union has been really big this year. It has increased by 60% which is a positive thing for us.
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Lukashenka: A great struggle for the future and for the right to rule the world is in process… A struggle for energy carries. It will keep intensifying…
Lukashenka has called 2001 “a year of great lessons”. He noted that he would not like it to repeat. He called the terrorist act in Minsk metro the most negative incident of the year. He mentioned “the Arab spring” among the events of the year.
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The press conference will be held it the National Library.
It will be dedicated to the results of this year and to the country’s future prospects. Almost 400 journalists from more than 300 Belarusian and foreign mass media accredited in Belarus will take part in the event.
The press conference will start at 12 p.m. The TV channel “Belarus 1” will broadcast it live.
Photo by — mn.ru
