MINSK, 11 February (BelTA) – Publications concerning Belarus in a number of Russian mass media and Telegram channels were discussed during the recent meeting of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko and President of Russia Vladimir Putin in Sochi. The Belarusian head of state mentioned it as he met with heads of the leading state-run mass media on 11 February, BelTA has learned.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, Belarus is penetrated by various media streams from all sides, many of them are openly destructive. “Belarus is in a most complicated situation in this regard. Belarus should not be compared to countries that may seem similar to Belarus such as Switzerland, Austria, and so on. Absolutely not because those countries are part of the powerful and huge European Union. They always rely on their allies and at least they do not get shot in the back,” the Belarusian leader noted. “In our situation we catch flak from both allies and from competitors or enemies as we call them. Belarus is getting shot at from all sides in this regard. Even major foreign media often resort to insinuations and at times glaring falsehoods and libel.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko said he had recently asked the press secretary to prepare a compilation of the latest publications in Russian mass media – large ones, small ones, and Telegram channels. “Specific people in positions of power are behind them. Because when I talk about things (we are not the only ones that talk about oil, natural gas, the nuclear power plant, and money) I constantly raise the matter of mass media,” the president said. “Today it is very important for our society, including for the Russian society. We can protect our own society. But we trade with the Russian Federation these days. Information leaks about, let's say, some poor-quality product from Belarus, particularly food, can mean a lot. People get worried about such things.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted he had discussed it with Vladimir Putin: “He said: you know Russia is a big country… I met with Medvedev and Putin last time and raised the problem. He said: we didn't do it. I said: didn't you? Because specific people are behind these channels. And I mentioned prominent names, who ferociously hate or can distort information about us in exchange for money.”
