MINSK, 10 June (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke about his vision of civil society in Belarus as he addressed the national seminar-conference to discuss new methods and forms of public communication at the grassroots level, BelTA has learned.
Speaking about the legal status of civil society, which will be spelled out in the relevant law, the head of state stressed that civil society should be focused on dialogue with the government and should be committed to the centuries-old values and traditions of the Belarusian people, the interests of the state.
"These structures cannot be financed from foreign sources. We know that he who pays the piper calls the tune," the Belarusian leader said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko set the task to build effective interaction with civil activists at all levels of public administration: "Deputies have learned to work with the complaints and appeals of people. Now they should learn to work with public initiatives, we need to be able to see promising projects, help find money for their implementation, and take the lead in some things."
Thus, according to the president, civil society will be able to reach a new level of representation in the Belarusian People's Congress. “By the way, this is also one of the forms of work with people. I would say the highest form," the head of state emphasized. “We have given this political tradition a constitutional status. This very people's forum gathers people who knows the problems of our society and country first-hand. The most authoritative entities that will comply with the law on civil society will become an organic part of the Belarusian People's Congress. This is an important task for the near future."
