MINSK, 1 August (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has appointed Maksim Yermolovich Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration, BelTA has learned.
He will take over this job from Dmitry Krutoi who has been appointed Belarus' ambassador to Russia.
Maksim Yermolovich has until now worked as Ambassador of Belarus to the UK and concurrently to Ireland, as well as Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization. Prior to his diplomatic career, he worked in various roles at the Finance Ministry for many years, including as finance minister for two years.
The head of state noted that due to his extensive experience Maksim Yermolovich is familiar with the work of the government and the Belarus President Administration.
“A seasoned, smart, advanced person who has got an idea of what the West is. I know this well (maybe he is not aware that I know this), but he's a normal, professional, committed pro-Belarus person. He has a good understanding of what needs to be done in Belarus. He has lived in one of the world's advanced countries and he has seen all the good and bad things about the UK. Naturally, there are a lot of good things about the British economy. We absolutely do not need the kind of politics modeled on the UK. We are not going to copy it. He has probably realized it, too. However, the economy, the financial sector are something to have a close look at,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.
A reminder, on 29 July Press Secretary of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Anatoly Glaz told reporters that a decision was taken to downgrade diplomatic relations with the UK to the level of charge d'affaires in view of a number of unfriendly moves by the United Kingdom that seek to inflict maximum damage to Belarusian nationals and legal entities. According to the ministry, the recall of the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Belarus does not mean that the channels of communication with London will be disrupted.
