MINSK, 28 October (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko asked Russia to join the efforts to investigate the genocide that took place during the Great Patriotic War as he met with Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov in Minsk on 28 October, BelTA has learned.
“You know that we have launched a massive effort to achieve recognition of the genocide of the Belarusian and Soviet people in the territory of Belarus during the Great Patriotic War. Large-scale work is underway at the suggestion of the prosecutor general. I know that Russians always help and support us whenever we ask them. I have a personal request for you: could you join this effort if you have a slightest opportunity? I think we will go further than Belarus in this. We have something to say and show about the events happening in the territory up to the Urals. Stalingrad, the area near Moscow, Leningrad. A real genocide,” the Belarusian leader said.
“We must keep working on it in order to show all these vile and filthy people what role the Soviet people played during the Second World War, the Great Patriotic War, defending their sovereignty, security and human rights and freedoms as they call them today,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
Speaking about the cooperation between the prosecutor general's offices of Belarus and Russia, the president noted that it has always been smooth. “There are enough crooks both in Belarus and Russia. And as the prosecutor general has told me, there have never been problems during the joint fight against them. I want to assure you: no problems will emerge from our side. My involvement is not even needed here. The prosecutor general will resolve any issues related to the fight against crime committed by Russians in the territory of Belarus and by Belarusians in the territory of Russia. We have no problems here due to our agreements, arrangements and your contacts. We are able to resolve all issues. I assure you once again,” the head of state said.
“If you have any problems now or in the future, do not hesitate to let us know about them. I would like to emphasize once again that we are kith and kin, we have common tasks and we should address them together,” the president added.
Igor Krasnov thanked Aleksandr Lukashenko for hosting him. “With no other prosecutor general's offices in the world does the Russian Prosecutor's Office cooperate as closely as with prosecutors of Belarus. Every year we compare notes with the prosecutor general of the Republic of Belarus taking into account the international and regional agenda, and we outline priority areas of our work for the near future”, he stated.
According to him, the common tasks are addressed, among other things, thanks to the joint collegium of the prosecutor generals' offices of Russia and Belarus created within the framework of the Union State. “This collegium discusses various issues related to protection of business, countering cybercrime and drug trafficking,” Igor Krasnov said.
“Today, external attempts to destabilize the situation in Russia and Belarus are of particular mutual concern. This is done using, inter alia, extremist and terrorist groups. This situation became particularly alarming in connection with the current developments in Afghanistan. We should overhaul our security policies throughout the CIS,” the prosecutor general emphasized.
Prosecutors will also focus on observance of the rights and freedoms of the most vulnerable population groups, environmental conservation, and efforts to combat corruption, domestic violence and crimes against children.
