Lukashenka: “I am not a fool”

Alyaksandr Lukashenka presented a three-hour long annual address to the “parliament” and nation. He told about everything, the speech was long and muddy. In the end, his voice became husky and hoarse.

Belarus does not need new IMF programme

Lukashenka thinks the country doesn’t need a new programme of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Interfax reports.

“We can ay today that we do not need a programme (of the IMF – Interfax). Am I right, Mr Prakapovich (the head of the National Bank ­ Interfax)? We can do well without it,” Lukashenka said.

The ruler also analyzed the relationship with Russia. “We have tackled the crisis, and we have to thank not Russia, our dear Russia, our mother Russia. Who have we to thank? Our so called enemies, the IMF, Europe, West. They gave us loans that helped the country to survive,” the ruler emphasized.

Russia “forces out” and “isolates” Belarus

Russia’s policy of pragmatic relations with Belarus undermines the foundation of the “union state”, Lukashenka said.

He stressed that the Russian Federation has been and will be the country’s main political and economic partner.

But today the situation has suddenly changed, Lukashenka noted. “The Russian leadership has chosen a decisive course for the so called pragmatization of the relations, transfer to the so called market principles. These principal are not classical that can be understood by everyone, but unilateral,” he thinks.

According to Lukashenka, “Belarus has faced the systematic actions threatening ability to survive”. “Almost prohibitive duties on oil and oil products have been imposed. We are being forced out of the Russian market. They try to isolate us from Eurasian transit routes,” he said.

“The increase in energy prices has affected the competitiveness of Belarusian manufacturers above all on the Russian market. This one of the way of squeezing our goods out of the Russian market,” Lukashenka stated.

We’ll live in dugouts

Addressing the Russia’s leadership, Lukashenka said: “Why are you forcing us out to the world’s end with this oil. I am not a fool, I calculated everything long ago. Nobody will deliver oil here if it is not profitable. Give us an opportunity to produce oil. I went to Venezuela, but you are dissatisfied again.

The Russian authorities adhere to a principle “they don’t have another way out”. But we have. A country in the center of Europe won’t be empty. I cannot afford insulting my own people. We’ll live in dugouts, but we will survive!” he said.

Again about revolutions

“No “colour revolutions” will occur in Belarus. As long as I am the president, I won’t allow any colour revolutions in the country,” Lukashenka said.

He also noted: “When some people say Kyrgyzstan is a signal for Belarus, it makes me laugh. Neither government house, nor president’s administration, nor any president’s residence have fences. You didn’t notice this. This is a symbol. It means that we don’t expect “colour revolutions”.

“We are not afraid someone to storm governmental agencies. Let them try, they wont find it funny. We know the names of the people, we know what they can do. I am not afraid. I am quiet about this. Who should I be afraid of? The rubbish that gets money from the West but descends to Russia?” Lukashenka asked a rhetorical question.

Isn’t it clear that the “conscious” opposition in Belarus lives the life of Riley. All are “homeless” and unemployed, but they live in luxurious houses and drive luxurious cars, they don’t need power,” the dictator noted.

"We know how much each of them earns, who gives and who transports money. Sometimes we show that on TV, how these trunks (with money) are intercepted on the border, when the law is violated," he said.

Lukashenka asked those who were present: "Would I be forgiven if having a power-supply unit, weapons in my hands, I would allow the country and the nation be victimized by raiders and idiots?" "The Constitution and the law exist. Everybody read them. Especially those who go and blast as Kazulin once (Alyaksandr Kazulin, a candidate for deputy at the last presidential election). He had made a blast, and was sentenced to 5 years, and he must be praying thankfully for not being sentenced to 25 years, and he must thank God that he has been released. You'll do no such thing in the US or in a European country!" he underlined.

"We must defend our country, cost what it may be. They must know that this shooting is impossible in Belarus. And they know our resoluteness. I have not held any consultations, I was not trembling for my future," the dictator underlined.

USA exert "barefaced pressure"

Belarus is ready for most sincere discussion with the US on all issues, Lukashenka stated.

"However, we expect that this discussion will be mutually regardful, sincere, objective, without double standards. However civilized, a really effective dialogue is hardly possible when one of the sides is under open pressure," Lukashenka stated.

Lukashenka wants to see his "deputies" in EURONEST

Exclusively "parliamentarians" should represent Belarus in the parliamentary structure of the Eastern Partnership "Euronest", and not opposition representatives, Lukashenka believes.

"Our relations with Europe in the framework of the Eastern Partnership program should be built not the way some people want to twist it. Belarus should be represented in the parliamentary structure of the Eastern Partnership, "Euronest", only by our parliament members," he stated.

He underlined that he does not tolerate any talks that "an alternative parliament of the opposition should sit in the Euronest too". "This variant would never be supported by me," Lukashenka emphasized.

About uranium: I do not dance to the US tune

Alyaksandr Lukashenka once again confirmed the country has highly enriched uranium, and he is ready to hold negotiations about its removing from the country.

As stated by the dictator, Belarus had not been invited to Washington to the Nuclear Security Summit because “we did not dance to the tune of the United States and Russia”. “They told us to give away highly enriched uranium. I said I do not give away anything".

"Russia reassures the US: don’t worry, we will take away the uranium from Belarus. I should say, neither Russia nor anyone else can do that without our consent. We are ready to embark on negotiations," the president of Belarus said.

There will be "pinpoint" privatization

"As for the privatization which is much talked about recently, it is not an end in itself. We are not going to sell our companies only because someone from outside wants it or because other countries do it," Lukashenka said.

However, as he said, "we are ready to sell any state-run company partially or fully only in case we are unable to secure it sustained performance, or when we do not need it for some reasons” .

“No one is going to give anything to anyone for free. There has never been and will never be a gangster privatization in the country," he emphasized.