Lukashenko commented on fakes about Russia's strategy towards Belarus
The President of Belarus commented on fakes asserting that the Russian authorities have developed strategic plans for Belarus’ absorption by 2030. During his talk with journalists in Raubichi, Aleksandr Lukashenko, in particular, noted that both Belarus and Russia have their own strategy.
“Russia has its own strategy in relation to Belarus: to live, as with its brothers – in peace and friendship. [This is] one hundred percent [true]. I am fully engaged into this process,” the Head of State noted.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that fakes about the absorption of Belarus by Russia aim to shake the country up and to break the bilateral relations. Moreover, a major electoral season is ahead: in 2024, deputies of all levels and delegates of the Belarusian People's Congress will be elected in Belarus, and Presidential elections are scheduled for 2025.
“They need to start rocking now,” the Belarusian leader noted. “The fugitives are already there, they will not be able to help them here anymore, so they need to prepare the new ones. That is why they have begun to slowly undermine the situation.”
The President emphasised that the topic was spread by bloggers and social networks almost simultaneously, on the same day. “What does this mean? A command was given. Once again they want to pull us apart, to tear us apart,” he said.
In this regard, Aleksandr Lukashenko added that, in the near future, he will personally inform journalists on all 28 Union State programmes that are being implemented, “The main ones deal with customs and tax matters. We can hear laments that taxes and excises have been raised. What have the excise taxes been raised for? Russians tell us: if you want a common market for cigarettes, if you want to sell your cigarettes in our market, then let's level the prices. That's right. Well, will we come to Russia, bring a billion pieces and start selling them at a lower price? We will ruin the tobacco industry of Russia in this case. Have we taken a piece of bread away from people by raising this excise tax on cigarettes? So tell me, what have we lost by doing this? We have increased our budget revenues at the expense of secondary goods.”
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, exactly the same could be said about the customs matters. Earlier, a group of 30 Russian specialists worked in Belarus with local customs officers on all related issues. Later, that group was decided to be divided in half (15 Belarusian and 15 Russian specialists each) to provide exclusively consulting services.
“What's wrong if super-specialists are there in this group – suggesting us and them [Russians] how to conduct customs affairs?” Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered.
The Head of State noted that there had been more than thirty Union State programmes initially. Among other things, the possibility of creating a joint Union State Parliament was discussed.
“We categorically disagreed, and Putin was often quoted as saying: if we cannot do it, then why are we doing it now? We have removed five or six programmes which caused concern. All others are beneficial to us, they would generate billions of Dollars. Therefore, they just want to cut us up again. With this in view, such a topic has emerged: ‘to push’ Belarus into Russia. There is nothing new in this. You know my position, it is unchanged: we are an independent, sovereign state,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.
Being independent and sovereign, who stands next to Russia? No one except Belarus. Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that the President of Russia understands all these issues in the same way. “During our last meeting, we discussed these issues for a long time. I will tell you a secret: last night [February 24th], we talked for a long time on various topics. We have good relations, and it will be great if they will always be such – and after me as well, and if our children will live in such conditions. So do not listen to this malarkey: it is born there to split us,” he said.
The Belarusian leader added that there had been many disputes during the discussion of tax and customs issues. An agreement was reached then to learn the best from each other. “We set taxes by our laws and act in a way that is interesting to our people,” he noted.
