MOGILEV, 21 March (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko talked about reasons behind the recent increase in activity of various opposition structures in Belarus, including the so-called fifth column, as he met with Kronospan Company workers in Mogilev on 21 March, BelTA has learned.
“Don't worry. We are not going to surrender the country to anyone. We will hold it safe together,” said the President. “The greatest shortcoming of the so-called fifth column is the fact that they are too far from people's aspirations and needs.”
“They would like to stir up riots in Belarus. They dream of destroying the government and overthrowing the president. Why? Because the president does not let them pocket factories and does not allow private land ownership,” noted the Belarusian leader.
Speaking about the invigoration of opposition bodies in Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko noted that among other things it happened after he met with Iosif Seredich, Editor-in-Chief of the opposition newspaper Narodnaya Volya. Iosif Seredich suggested that Alexander Lukashenko and the opposition should get together and discuss various problems and matters. The head of state said that he had not turned down the idea right away. Instead he believes that representatives of the patriotic opposition, who love their nation and the country, should be present as well. “I am not going to talk to the other kind — to the provocateurs. What would normal people think if the head of state lets provocateurs sit at the round table in the Palace of Independence?” said the head of state. “This is why I set my terms. And it blew up this opposition cesspool. Their leaders understood that they would not be able to talk to the president. Different opposition members would be able to.”
“They thought: Why different opposition members? We are the leaders, we get foreign funding. If different opposition members were chosen, then they would be paid,” Alexander Lukashenko contemplated the probable train of thought of a number of opposition representatives. “It is the underlying reason why our opposition has stepped up operations that much. Then, some sick people tend to be more active in spring, too.”
Alexander Lukashenko also remarked that the Western organizations that finance opposition in Belarus are ready to give money primarily for the sake of organizing riots in Belarus. “They need fights and bloodshed,” he said. Speaking about the presidential decree on preventing social dependency, Alexander Lukashenko stressed that those targeted by the decree represent a fair share of the street protesters.
“These are the reasons behind an increase in activity of our fifth column,” said the head of state.
Yet Alexander Lukashenko underscored that the situation in Belarus is controllable and things will not be allowed to get out of hand.
