MINSK, 9 September (BelTA) – The Internet and Telegram channels have a considerable influence on the society, however, the influence is negative in a number of cases. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the relevant statement in a recent interview with Russian mass media, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that many events happened in Belarus after the presidential election partially because of the influence of certain Telegram channels. “What you can see in Minsk emerged in the calm and quiet country of Belarus because of that. We shouldn't exaggerate it and we shouldn't diminish it either,” he noted. “Some things happened totally out of the blue. But not due to negligence. We just didn't expect it. How can one expect it when the Internet and Telegram channels go so deep into people's brains? People are mad. Some people are totally crazy.”
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, young Belarusians are particularly susceptible to this kind of influence. “We can somehow resist it but what about the young ones? Brains have been befuddled. We have stopped reading, exploring genuine culture, music, books and the rest. What do we read? Only headlines. We don't read even brief amounts of text. But we [adult people] don't read because we don't have time for it, the amount of information is massive. What about kids? Youngsters? Even school students? A new generation has risen, which we've lost, they say. We didn't lose them. Life is simply totally different.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that methods to counteract the negative influence of the Internet and Telegram channels had not been developed yet. “Do you have the ability to block Telegram channels? No one has. Even those, who designed the World Wide Web – the Americans – don't have this ability. You can see what is going on there. Telegram channels play the leading role over there,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted. “They started it and a long time ago. Neither Russia nor Belarus started it. They did and they are dealing with the results. May Lord be with them. While we have to reap the fruits of all of it. Even if the Internet is disabled today, these Telegram channels from Poland will keep working.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko believes that Russia may also encounter the problem of the negative influence of Telegram channels on the general public. “All of it is globalized and internationalized. If you think that rich Russia can handle it, you are wrong. I've talked to many presidents, to my senior friend (I call him my elder brother) Putin. I warned him that it is impossible to counteract it,” the Belarusian leader stated. “This is why you shouldn't relax. Certain political events are scheduled to take place in Russia soon. But then some events happen out of the blue. Do you know what we and the Russian leadership, the Russian establishment concluded? If Belarus falls today, Russia will be next.”
Yet Aleksandr Lukashenko is convinced it is necessary to take attempts to fix the situation. “Fight not only against but for the future of our kids. Otherwise, you will definitely see results of it while you are still alive. You will generate a new little war,” he warned.
