MINSK, 15 March (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko commented on the film uploaded to the internet about his "luxurious life" as he talked to the media after the Minsk Ski competition on 13 March, BelTA has learned.
The head of state said the information in the film is not true. He noted that he had not seen the film yet. "I'll try to find time. They say it's a very long movie. I don't have that much time. I was given just clips, the analysis,” the president said. “There was nothing new there,” he added.
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that his words never say one thing and actions another. It would be not good, especially in the eyes of those people who support him, he noted. "The worst thing for me is to be disgraced in front of you. I never do things I do not support publicly. When I say something I follow it up with actions. There is nothing to investigate. They chose this subject in vain. They copycatted the film about Putin,” the Belarusian leader said. “They look into palaces, some other things, and even in the pants at the end. Look, it's rude indeed. Besides, they name specific names that have nothing to do with anything, I swear to you. Why?” he asked.
The president said that he will watch the film in its entirety before showing how the things they mention in the film look like in reality: "I will show you. They named names, showed buildings. I will just bring you to my house, and show you this bathhouse, show you where the wood was cut. In this village where I live.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the places he stays in are not luxurious at all, for example, the house on the Pripyat, which he usually visits in spring. “There is a health recreation facility and a wooden house where the president stays. One part is for public use. The hall for shared use is big. There are just a bedroom and a children's room. That's it. This is not a palace. This place is not mine. It is state property,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.
The president also mentioned the watch that was shown in the film: “I have had this watch for some 15 years already. I will tell you frankly, this watch was given to me by Nursultan Nazarbayev [the first President of Kazakhstan].
“I will reveal one secret to you: I believe no president buys a watch, unless he likes to show off,” said the head of state.
He explained that at major events, like international summits, attendees are given presents. “I asked to place them all in the Palace of Independence in the museum (gifts to the president are usually kept in the president's residence). They range from our Luch watch (my first watch when I was still a presidential candidate) to this one. Let them not worry about the money spent on it. As for the price, you see that they inflate it some 10-15 times and say that Lukashenko loves gold. I can't stand this extravagance, all this gold,” the president said.
“I was worried that after watching this you would start questioning whether you support the right person. It was my biggest fear,” the head of state pointed out.
As for financial assets, the president explained that there is a rainy day fund for emergencies and it builds up over time. “This is the money to be used, for example, during the pandemic, to pay bonuses to healthcare workers, to buy medicines urgently, and so on. This money is not featured in the state budget,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “I would never steal anything from the people, because, I grew up in poverty and I know the value of every ruble,” he added.
The president believes that the makers of the film made a mistake when they chose to cover this topic. They obviously acted in despair. “We should be afraid of such people. You have seen how they set sights on somebody else's property. This is how they would rule the country. They would rob our businessmen, IT startups, and individual entrepreneurs in a matter of two years. Fast, isn't it? They would not give that money to the people, but they would just pocket everything,” the head of state said. “They have already divided the enterprises and money they expect to make. If we had failed to stop them – we would have lived in a different country now. This is the real problem,” he added.
“We should just keep working. One day people will start appreciating it,” the Belarusian president believes.
