“He is abnormal and there are no laws”

Lukashenka’s press conference for Russian media over five hours.

At the start of the press-conference Lukashenka claimed he would answer “all the tricky and nasty questions” of the journalists.

He also noted that Belarus was completely open from media from Russia.

“What can I do, it is easier for some people to do publicity moves in Belarus than for me to do the same in Russia. You see that we are not closed for Russian mass media. All, even hateful TV channels broadcast in Belarus. And decent channels that mark the anniversary are also available in Belarus with various programs like Batka 1, Batka 2, three, four… We do not close our media space for them. Every day our people see Russia the way you present it via mass media,” he said.

Lukashenka noted that it is very important for Belarus and Russia to be together not as never before in order to overcome problems more successfully.

“The global financial crisis has affected all the countries, including Belarus. It has dampened the pace of economic development, made the export of products and services complicated, particularly starting from H2 2013. This is why it has never been more important for Belarus and Russia to be together in order to more successfully overcome emerging problems. By the way, your colleagues report and not only they do it, after meetings with leaders of the Russian Federation we know that things are not easy in Russia, too, particularly in the production sector. You have seen that we are not as rich as Russia in gifts from the god. Therefore, our entire country is all about the real sector of the economy, something that is made by brains and hands of our people. Therefore, things are difficult for us right now”, he said.

«Dialogue with Putin is a reflection of the problems»

Lukashenka claims there are problems in the relations with Russia, Interfax reports.

“I must tell you, our relations, our dialogue is a concentration of the problems that exist in the relations between the states. There are not only problems, there are good things too”, - he noted.

At the same time the ruler deems important the way these problems are solved. “It is discussed in a completely friendly manner, which is unacceptable, for example, in the relations between Russia and the USA. This is a very great achievement”, - Lukashenka said.

Currently, Lukashenka said, together with the Russian leadership “we pay much attention to the activities in the framework of the agreements, singed in the union state”. “And especially recently we have been paying much attention to the Single Economic Space with the aim to launch the Eurasian Economic Union by 1 January 2015”, - Lukashenka claimed.

“There are a lot of problems, fitting-in is taking place, the interests of three states are concerned”, - the dictator noted.

About the "West - 2013" and NATO exercises

“We know that NATO will soon be holding the exercise in the Baltic region. We will make a statement to that effect, but only once. We will not go hysterical. I think that the Foreign Ministry, maybe the press service of the Defense Ministry or the Minister himself will make a statement on this, but in a human way. “Guys, what’s up? You made a drama out of our exercise and now you are holding one of your own near the borders of Belarus. And what is the aim of the exercise?” This is what we are going to say. Otherwise, it will be a sign of weakness. Why should we be hysterical?" the he said.

Commenting on the statements by a number of countries of the European Union which criticized the joint strategic exercise of the Armed Forces of Belarus and Russia West-2013, which took place on the territory of the two countries in September, Lukashenka noted that the criticism was due to several factors. “For example, let’s look why Poles reacted that way? Once the Poles agreed to host the US missile defense system. Then, for some reasons, they suspended the process. But Poland wants to revive the project, and quickly. I do not know why they want to put themselves in harm’s way. After all, an anti-missile installation is a priority target for destruction in the event of a conflict. Both the Russians and Belarusians have enough means to disable it. And such capabilities are plenty,” stressed he.

Lukashenka added that the main reason for this situation is money. “For the Poles this is money. Poland is the stronghold of Americans today on the European continent. It is known to all. And they went hysterical: “Look, this aggressor Lukashenka, the dictator, and the second one in Moscow are about to conquer Poland. And what is the purpose of this? To get money. Get the money and get the anti-missile defense system to Poland. Because if this defense system is built in Poland, it is natural Poland will get economic benefits and handouts. Because the Americans will have to feed a part of Poland or the whole Poland so that they are quiet and not anti-American and service the missile defense system. There were many reasons for that outcry. But we are not going to appease them and repeat what happened,” he said.

Union State Council of Ministers’ session cancelled because of Kerimov

Aliaksandr Lukashenka does not understand why the Russian government links all the issues of holding a union state council of ministers’ session to Suleiman Kerimov’s case.

“The council of ministers’ session, scheduled for September, was cancelled, cancelled by your government. They did not go to the session. They say, allegedly, Kerimov was offended and others. If this is the reason, we will wait, of course”, - Lukashenka claimed.

“This shows that we have enough problems in the union state”, - the ruler said.

Lukashenka: The death penalty should be applied

The death penalty is justified in exceptional cases, Lukashenka told.

“We have not abolished the death penalty. I do not think it is good that we have the death penalty. But I am not the reason why it has not yet been abolished. There are still such cases in the country when you want to apply the death penalty,” said Alexander Lukashenko and cited the attack in Minsk metro. What right to life they have if people died in the metro?” he said.

A range of activities and the way of life in the state must create the security and safety of people, said Lukashenka.

"The most important thing is not to forgive. Police should work off the money the state allocates for them,” he said.

“Bandits were executed on the spot”

Lukashenka admitted that people were killed extrajudicially in Belarus.

Aliaksandr Lukashenka disclosed some methods of fighting against banditry in the 1990s at a press conference for the Russian media on October 11, BelaPAN news agency reports.

“When I became president just after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was an awful problem: transit routes go through the country, so we had to secure safety. The first case of banditry I faced as the president was on the road Moscow-Minsk-Berlin. I was told that bandits had stopped a car, killed the driver and taken the car. We didn't have a lot of Mercedes cars in those times. It was a rare car. Bandits wanted these cars. If they saw a Mercedes or an Audi, they stopped them under the guise of the police. If drivers showed resistance, they could kill or maim them. They then took the car and all belongings,” Lukashenka said.

A “radical decision” was needed, according to him. “We orgnaised several groups, gave them posh cars and made a trap on the road. If bandits resisted, we killed them on the spot. Three groups were destroyed and we have never had the fourth one. It's still quiet,” Lukashenka noted.

“Perhaps it's too brutal a method, but I didn't see another one to curb banditry. We didn't kill them in the toilet, we punched them in the face. They understood. Bandits only understand the language they use themselves,” the Belarusian ruler thinks. “But you mustn't go too far. If you act fairly, people will understand, if you don't, it will be even a bigger crime than that you want to eliminate,” Lukashenka stressed.

“Belarusians are spoiled people”

Lukashenka believes that every Belarusian person has the opportunity to make money in the country today and feed the family, instead of constantly asking the state for support.

“Our Belarusians are spoiled by the state. I am telling the Belarusians today: only a lazy person is unable to make money in the country today”, - Lukashenka claimed.

“What does not let you make money? They are flying through us, running, crawling, cycling. And these are not poor people, who travel. Provide them with a service”, - the dictator noted.

That is why, Lukashenka is convinced, “people must be treated objectively and tough”. “With the state carrying out social policy, reacting to all the problematic issues, people have though that they could play hooky and underdeliver”, - he said.

On Kerimov again

Russian Uralkali’s co-owner Suleiman Kerimov does not care about the fate of the enterprise’s workers and the region’s ecological problems, - Lukashenka claims.

“Let’s take Kerimov. Not a single responsible state person, especially if they know they are controlled by the state, would not have acted like he had. He purchased this Uralkali and is now doing whatever he pleases”, - Lukashenka stated.

“He does not care that Biarezniki are going underground, that everything is getting flooded there”, - the dictator said.

He emphasized that such a treatment by private business of its property he deemed unacceptable.

“I am fed up with these private businessmen. The main thing is profit for them, and they do not care about anything else”, - the dictator said.

“We are not going to stop the criminal case against him (Suleiman Kerimov - Interfax)”, - Lukashenka claimed.

He also said he “had warned Mikhail Gutseriev that these criminal charges could be brought”.

“We are not stopping this case, but we do not want to create some kind of a phantom out of it either, so our relations get affected. When we met with Vladimir Putin, I said: not a single gertner (Baumgertner - Interfax) or Kerimov are worth of us spoiling relations not only between the states, but the personal relations too. He (Putin - Interfax) said: I 100% agree. They are not worth it”, - Lukashenka claimed.

In this regard, he said, there is an agreement with the Russian leadership that “we should examine it fairly”. “Either we do that and send the case to court, or you can send it to court in Russia, and be will tag along”, - Lukashenka said.

He explained that Uralkali’s director general Vladislav Baumgertner had been invited to Minsk “not for him to be put in prison, but he had been summoned for the sitting of the supervisory board in order to solve these problems”. “He came, sucker, he was invited by the Prime Minster. He sat, put one leg on the other, and claimed: this would not happened, and neither would that. Came out, spitted on the House of the Government and went to the airport laughing. And there he was…” – Lukashenka said.

“Relations and business cannot be built like that, if you have reached the level of the head of state”, - Belarusian ruler highlighted.

Lukashenka also accused Uralkali’s top-managers of fraud.

“On the eve of the company’s collapse, when the shares were more or less expensive, they sold them. Then, as it collapsed, they started buying them out. This is a fraud. Why cannot they see it in Russia? It should be punished”, - he said.

About Baumgertner

Lukashenka confessed that the charges against Uralkali’s director general Vladislav Baumgertner had been changed for embezzlement.

“The charges have been changed for embezzlement. He precipitated”, - he said.

The dictator suggests that the Russian party took Baumgertner and investigated the case themselves.

“So far there were no such requests (on Russia’s part – Interfax)”, - Lukashenka claimed.

“He committed a crime. You could have said: “Give him to the Russians, we will deal with it ourselves”. Please – take Chaika (Russia’s Prosecutor General), come with him tomorrow and by the law, we have one, out him into a cell and investigate, we will be helping you”, - the Belarusian ruler said. “He has caused you more damage”, - Lukashenka emphasized.

Russian oligarchs are thieves

Lukashenka doubts that Russian oligarchs have earned their billions fairly with no machinations.

“We heard that 35-40% of Russia’s wealth belongs to 110 people. 110 people – who are they? Then (10 years ago - Interfax) there were 25-27 of them. Have they earned billions in 10 years? Impossible, it is physically impossible. Impossible. You cannot even win this playing cards”, - Lukashenka said.

At the same time he emphasized that Belarus did not stand against private assets.

“We do not rush with eliminating the state property, but we are not against private businessmen. We have one policy – you can be a private businessman, only if you have created your business yourself, not if you have got shares by the means of machinations, if this private business has been created with your own effort and money”, - Lukashenka highlighted.

Bribe was offered for Belaruskali

The market price of Belaruskali’s holding of shares is $30 billion, Lukashenka is convinced.

“Belaruskali is worth of thirty billion. When I voiced this number for the first time, everyone laughed. But in several month Bloomberg stated that Belaruskali was worth more”, - Lukashenka claimed.

“I said – thank you, we do not need it anymore”, - he added.

Lukashenka said that he had received various offers from potential Russian investors. “There was even this kind of offer, here is what they offered: we will pay $10 billion to the state (for the holding of shares - Interfax), and $5 billion to you. Such offers cannot pass”, - the dictator highlighted.

Lukashenka also noted that Belaruskali was not a public corporation, its shares are not traded in world’s markets. That is why, he explained, the collapse of the world’s potash market due to Uralkali’s actions towards the Belarusian Potash Company did not influence the market value and the capitalization of the Belarusian enterprise.

Lukashenka added that he deemed unacceptable the building of a market economy on such privatization principles.

“We do not need such a market economy, and the Russians do not need it either”, - he said.

The dictator noted that he saw a large danger in the situation, when economic changes were done at the expense of stability in the domestic and foreign political situation. “When bandits seize your economy, keep weapons in hiding places and dictate their conditions with these weapons, everyone can do whatever they want. This should not be allowed”, - Lukashenka said.

10 million migrant workers

Belarus is ready to make home to 10 million more people, Lukashenka told.

Over the past five years more than 35,000 Russian nationals have come to live in Belarus while over 9,000 Belarusians have received residence permits in Russia. These are speaking figures, Lukashenka said.

“The major problem we have today is not even money (although money is always the issue in this market economy) but people. Our territory needs twice as many people as we have today: we need 20 million, not 10 million. We are able to provide them with everything necessary. They will work and make more goods. If Russian people are eager to come here from any region, they are most welcome,” he said.

Blackmailing Putin

Lukashenka counts on the cancellation of export duties that the country is charged for oil products made from Russian oil since 1 January 2014, and claims that Belarus would not be able to keep being a part of the Customs Union otherwise.

“Putin promised – from 1January 2014 all the fees and limitations is trade will be lifted”, - Lukashenka claimed.

“Otherwise, we will not be able to handle the Customs Union, if we do not see its economic effect”, - the ruler said.

He noted that if Belarus had not been paying the fees to the Russian budget for exporting oil products made from Russian oil outside the Customs Union, “we would have been able to build the Emirates here”.

As it was reported previously, Belarus and the Russian Federation signed an intergovernmental agreement in December 2010 on the payment and transferring of export duties on crude oil and certain groups of goods made from oil, sold outside the Customs Union. According to the document, the country completely unified the customs fees for oil and oil products with the Russian ones. According to the agreement, Belarus pay the whole amount of export duties for oil products, made from Russian oil, to the Russian budget. Export duties on the oil products, made from third countries’ oil, go to the Belarusian budget.

In 2012 Belarus paid $3.8 to Russia’s budget in export duties on oil products, made from Russian oil, ad compared to $3.07 billion in 2011.

About the EU: “No one wants to speak with us”

Belarus does not negotiate with the European Union, “because no one wants to talk to us”, Lukashenka claimed.

Answering to the question on Ukraine signing an association agreement with the EU, he noted: “Nazarbaev negotiates with the European Union, Russia to negotiates on a free economic zone. I am telling them that Belarus never had negotiations behind your backs, no separatist negotiations. What are we reprimanding Ukraine for, what it negotiates something? Russia and Kazakhstan do too. Let Ukraine do it”, - Lukashenka said.

“I reprimanded Nazarbaev and Vladimir Putin that they were feeding Belarus to the Western sharks, do not support – on political prisoners, or whatnot… You know that there are no political prisoners. This was the dialogue. Vladimir Putin said that he would not let anyone to tread on Belarus and supported it”, - Lukashenka said.

The only danger is that Ukraine, having signed the agreement, “will close its way to us, to the Customs Union, Eurasian Economic Union”, the Belarusian ruler believes. He expressed a concern that low customs obstacles in the trade between the EU and Ukraine “would harm us, if we had open borders”.

“If you want to join us, you will have to follow our agreements”, - Lukashenka stated, addressing the Ukrainian party, BelaPAN reports.

About the recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Is it necessary?

The recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Belarus is not a matter of life and death for Russia.

Asked why Belarus has not recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia yet, Lukashenka said: “Is it necessary? Do we have to raise the issue now from Russia’s point of view?”

“If we recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia will be inflamed, the countries that have territorial disputes will be inflamed, the West will get involved. Does Russia need that? Thank god, we are past it already, we are not going to be the catalyst of an unnecessary trend. What for?” wondered Lukashenka.

He reminded that he had discussed the possible negative consequences of the recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia for the Belarus economy with Russia President Dmitry Medvedev. “You remember the time. Representatives of the West came here and started pressuring us,” said Lukashenka. He added that Belarus had been threatened with economic and foreign currency problems. “Our specialists analyzed everything and at the meeting with Medvedev I asked him whether Russia was ready to give a helping hand to Belarus. We could recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia while Russia could help negate the consequences for Belarus. But the President of Russia said they would have a look at the possibility later, it was not up to him to decide. And I said that if Russia wasn’t ready to support us, to protect us in the situation when we would be deprived of foreign currency that we use to pay for Russian gas and oil among other things, then Belarus couldn’t recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Before I made the step I needed to know what would have happened to my country. Did I do the wrong thing then? I know what would have happened because of this recognition,” stressed he.