MINSK, 16 November (BelTA) – I am ready to have a dialogue with the opposition, but not with traitors and terrorists, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said in an interview to Belarusian and foreign political observers in Minsk on 13 November, BelTA has learned.
The head of state, in particular, was asked under what conditions he would agree for the talks with the opposition and Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. “Listen, what can I discuss with the person who asked me to help her leave Belarus for Lithuania where her children were. She sent her children to Lithuania in advance. She went there and is doing everything to damage Belarus now. What am I going to talk to her about? Should I go to Lithuania to see her?” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“There is no nothing we can discuss. I have enough people protesting in Belarus and enough opposition members. You don't confuse protesters with opposition members. It's nothing of the kind. They're here. I even visited the pre-trial detention center to talk to them," the president said. “A number of people were released. They are welcome to organize parties. Voskresensky [political scientist Yuri Voskresensky] rallied several dozen people around him [newly registered Round Table of Democratic Forces] and they have joined this dialogue. I'm aware of these things. These people are here. I'm definitely going to meet with them. A dialogue is now in progress at the low, medium levels and so on. It will reach me anyway. I'm definitely going to meet with them.”
“What kind of dialogue should I have with traitors and terrorists? Believe me, it's not that I'm unyielding, bloodthirsty or whatever. I am the person who does not need it at all: no loss of life, no terrorist attacks on the railway or power lines, no explosions, no Molotov cocktails on traffic police or police departments, or administrative buildings. I don't need it, this all is damaging me. But what do you talk about with traitors and terrorists? Who are they that I need to talk to them? They have not taken a single positive step in respect of Belarus. Do you know their latest demand which they rolled out yesterday? Disconnect Belarus from the SWIFT banking system. Do I need to discuss the steps to destroy the country with them?" the head of state asked.
"They don't need a dialogue with me. They don't need it at all. They need to break Lukashenko as the ‘main bastion of totalitarianism here', they want me to leave. Putting pressure on me is useless. We're going to pull through it, but we're going to rip the masks off them. We will show who is who," the Belarusian leader summed up.
