Belarus does not dance to someone else’s tune

President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko gives an interview to the British media company BBC

The conversation lasted for about an hour. The interviewer was Steven Rosenberg, a leading international columnist for the BBC, who specialises in the post-Soviet space. The BBC production team has been working in Belarus for several days, including at the border with Poland. Belarus has provided unfettered access to all media outlets, including foreign ones, so that they could cover the situation with refugees. Meanwhile, neighbouring Poland continues to adhere to the policy of a complete information blockade.
BBC was one of many foreign media outlets that asked for an interview with the Belarusian Head of State, and the production team was invited to the Palace of Independence.
The conversation primarily tackled the situation on the Belarusian-Polish border; the British journalists were also interested in the details of the conversation between the Head of State and the Acting Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, as well as Belarus’ relations with the European Union and Russia.
Aleksandr Lukashenko openly and frankly answered all the questions asked, including once again debunking outright rumours common among western journalists.
The President answered a question regarding the recent incident at the Bruzgi border checkpoint, during which the Polish side not only used special gear and ammunition against refugees, but actually violated the state border.
Acts of brutality by Polish security officials against refugees, including pregnant women and children, the use of water cannons containing chemical impurities in the cold, flash-noise grenades and gas with toxic substances — all these and many other facts have been recorded and made public. However, the BBC reporter in his question noted only ‘stones and sticks’ in the hands of the refugees themselves.
“Steve, don’t single one episode out of context. Now let’s recount how it happened. The vast majority of the 2,100 people peacefully asked the Poles to transit their country to reach Germany. A Polish officer came up and began to explain (thank God, we filmed it, even his voice can be heard) that they need to go to the checkpoint and submit applications, and that the Polish authorities would consider them and so on. In other words, he actually sent them to that border checkpoint. They all left [the camp in the forest near the border] and rushed there,” said the President.
Further, Aleksandr Lukashenko continued, there were no stones: the refugees knelt before the Polish officers. “They understood that the Polish guards would let them across and that they would take their applications. They knelt down, apologised for all the trouble and asked to be let through. But they were not. That’s where it all that started,” said the President.
 “The Poles used water cannons, in violation of all rules and regulations. What have we learned today? We have established that they used harsh chemicals, pesticides and herbicides. This is what cockroaches are poisoned with and weeds are destroyed. That’s how it was. That is, take these episodes as a whole. And we will prove it to you because there is recorded evidence of it.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko also drew attention to the fact that the Poles actually violated the state border of Belarus, using special gear and ammunition on its territory. 
“Why did they shoot into our territory? Do you know that even turning weapons towards the neighbouring territory is forbidden? Why didn’t you write about it? Why did you pour water with toxic chemicals for 100 metre deep into our territory [referring to the use of special gear and ammunition by Polish military personnel against refugees, including pregnant women and children]?! It is a violation of the state border. I am telling you that as a guardsman. I was stationed at that border back in the day. I know every metre over there. You at least violated the state border. You threw flares into our territory,” said the President. “And we were accused of supplying the refugees so that they could throw grenades. A Polish soldier took a grenade and didn’t know how to handle it properly, so it blew up at his feet. And you blamed Belarusians.”
The Head of State asserted that Belarus, in its turn, had taken measures to prevent weapons and ammunition from reaching the refugee camp at the border, “If I didn’t control this camp, there would have been weapons over there a long time ago. Weapons are being smuggled here from Donbass via Ukraine. If you don’t know it, then listen to me.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko also did not rule out that in case of provocations, there could be a threat to the life of foreign journalists as well. “I cannot rule out the possibility that they could have shot some Matthew or you [CNN and BBC reporters Matthew Chance and Steven Rosenberg]. What for? In order to later accuse Lukashenko of it, to put the blame for it on him,” explained the President. “Why are you not talking about the charity, the sympathy that my people show towards these refugees?”
Aleksandr Lukashenko also voiced some new shocking details of the actions of the Polish security officials in relation to refugees, “They acted like fascists. As people were sleeping under the open sky, they used flashlights, sirens and so on. They flew a helicopter. The investigators reported that they used tear gas, water, toxic chemicals and helicopters flying at low altitude. What for? So that the helicopter’s propeller would send those toxic chemicals deeper into our territory, to reach children... Why didn’t the BBC report this on its channel?”
In an interview, the President also said that he is pursuing an independent policy and acts primarily in the interests of the Belarusian people.
The interviewer asked the Head of State why it is difficult for the European Union to communicate with him. 
“I can answer the question of why it is difficult for you to talk to me. Because I don’t dance to your tune.” 
“I am pursuing an independent policy both from you and from anyone — from the Americans, the British, the European Union. I see my people,” underlined the Belarusian leader.
He also noted that Belarus has always strived to live in peace and harmony with its neighbours. “Can you say I’ve bothered my neighbours? Did I arrange any fights with Poles, Latvians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians on the border? Never. Right here [in the Palace of Independence, where the interview took place] the summit of the Normandy Four on Ukraine was held and the war was stopped [yes, they still shoot there, but there is no war, they do not die in their thousands],” said the Head of State. “We’ve done everything. I always said that neighbours are given by God and cannot be chosen. Did we make any problems for Lithuanians, Latvians? Never.”
At the same time, Aleksandr Lukashenko drew the journalist’s attention to the foreign interference in the internal affairs of Belarus, “Why did you come into our house and try to destroy it last year? Why? What business of yours is our election? We didn’t meddle with the UK or America. You financed a mutiny last year. You did! You controlled the mutiny from Poland’s territory. With Americans’ backing. You came into our house. We didn’t ask for you.”
The President also warned against attempts to unleash a war on the territory of Belarus. “You should worship us. Worship! Because we fought against fascism. Seemingly in a coalition with you. Don’t you remember? Do you remember the guy who would walk around and always smoke a cigar [UK Prime Minister during WWII, Winston Churchill] while ours smoked a pipe [the USSR leader, Joseph Stalin]? Don’t you remember it?” asked the Head of State. “You still owe the Belarusian nation for World War Two. You still haven’t paid up for the losses we’ve suffered. It’s been less than 100 years since the beginning of the war but you’ve already stormed into this house once again and are trying to start a new smaller war.”
“You have to understand that if we start a war here in Belarus, NATO and Russia will get involved. It will be a nuclear war,” stressed Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Based on the materials of belta.by and sb.by
Photo by BELTA