MINSK, 2 July (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin in Minsk on 2 July, BelTA has learned.
Vyacheslav Volodin arrived in Belarus upon instructions of President of Russia Vladimir Putin. On behalf of Russia he will participate in festivities on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from Nazi invaders.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted: “I thank you, my elder brother, my friend very much for the fact that during this common celebration of ours – Belarus’ Independence Day Russia is represented by a high-ranking government delegation. As I was getting ready for this meeting, I thought that we haven’t met with each other in an official setting yet although it seems to me we’ve known each other for half a century.”
“We rarely meet indeed. Although we more than know each other,” Vyacheslav Volodin agreed.
“We communicate very often on the whole. Including on official business. It is probably the first time we meet like this. It means that you should come to Minsk more often. We will always be glad to see you,” the president stated.
The head of state admitted that he takes a favorable view of Vyacheslav Volodin’s parliamentary activities and he closely follows his work, especially in his constituency. “I remember my work as a member of the parliament. I remember how I had to take care of the same kind of problems but at a lower level. This is why for me you are a person that is absolutely understandable, an open person. And I always support your movement towards people, towards those, who elected you. You don’t forget it. It is very important,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also expects members of the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament and members of the lower chamber of the Russian parliament to continue advancing parliamentary ties and sharing the best practices.
“Thank you for coming. You will attend the celebration. You will see whether we have moved far from our common standards of the past. I think you will like it. We haven’t moved anywhere. In Belarus we have always been dedicated to what our ancestors have accomplished. You will find not a single abandoned monument, not a single monument without care in Belarus. Even in the smallest village,” the president said. “People remember those times. They know where we come from. They honor memory of those, who brought this life to us. It may be complicated but we live while many of them unfortunately don’t.”
The head of state pointed out that for Belarusians it does not matter where some battle happened, whether it was Operation Bagration, the Battle of Rzhev or a battle at the Dnieper River. Belarusians revere memory of the fallen Soviet soldiers evenly. “Our people, Soviet people fought then. We revere it and instill the relevant attitude in young Belarusians,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.
In turn, Vyacheslav Volodin conveyed warm congratulations on the key state holiday from President of Russia Vladimir Putin.
The speaker of the lower chamber of the Russian parliament said: “The day Minsk was liberated from Nazi invaders unites all of us. It is very important for us to preserve this memory. As long as we remember those, who fell fighting for our freedom, for the freedom of our country, the Soviet Union, which gave birth to us, for the freedom of our states, both Belarus and Russia, they will guide us through our lives. They will offer unseen protection although they are no longer with us. You’ve said it right: we should stand together, even closer to each other, shoulder to shoulder in order to overcome the challenges facing our countries.”
