Lukashenka Awards Ex-Governor Of St. Petersburg With Order Of Frantsysk Skaryna

Valentina Matvienko has been awarded the Order.

Lukashenka awarded the Order of Frantsiisk Skaryna to the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia, who's been governor of St. Petersburg for eight years, BelTA informs.

The corresponding decree was signed by Lukashenka back in spring 2019, but the award was presented only on March 5, during his meeting with V. Matvienko at the Independence Palace in Minsk.

- I do not present awards to anyone but my people in the office, - Lukashenka said. - I'm very glad that you have come.

The statement of Lukashenka about the Belarusian printmaker, whose name the Order bears, makes the situation particularly comical:

"What are we ashamed of? Skaryna was not only a Belarusian, he lived in St. Petersburg as well and worked there, the Russians talk about him with pride".

We remind that Frantsysk Skarina lived in 1490-1541, and the city of St. Petersburg was founded in 1703.