MINSK, 2 November (BelTA) - I support pluralism, but against any breaches of law, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, on 2 November, BelTA informs.
“I am not against different opinions. I just cannot exist in a space without different opinions. I think that I also came to power from the sober, sensible opposition. When we convene a government conference, we look for different opinions. If we do not have enough opinions, we postpone it. Why gather together then? Therefore, I am in favor of different opinions. But I am absolutely against any law violations,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president remarked that many protesters describe call themselves peaceful because, as they are saying, they do not violate the law. However, people take part in unauthorized, i.e. illegal, demonstrations. “These are not even peaceful demonstrations now. They break public order, attack the police and do other things. There are many violations. What leniency do you want if you breach the law?” the head of state wondered. “If you want to discuss things: students gathered together in universities and did that. But I understand where it comes from, who gives them those ideas: provoke confrontations, record videos, post them in Telegram channels, and we will give you money for that. We see it.”
“Therefore, I am not against pluralism. On the contrary, my entire life shows that we have always had different opinions and ideas. For example, I am saying that we support different religious denominations. And they are many,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.
