English

Lukashenka: Belarus has become example for young democratic states

Belarus’ policy of resisting dictates from both the East and West has become an example for young democratic states across the world, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said when speaking at a flower-laying ceremony held at the World War II obelisk in Victory Square in Minsk on July 3, Belarus’ Independence Day.

The policy “has brought authority and recognition” to the country, Mr. Lukashenka said.

“We say openly and honestly that we are ready to cooperate with our Russia, other CIS countries, the European Union, the USA, the People’s Republic of China and our friends in Asia and South America, all partners without exceptions, but exclusively on the basis of equality and without any detriment to the national interests,” the Belarusian leader said.

“Each of us feels that he is a free citizen of a free country,” he said.

Mr. Lukashenka said that Belarus was the only post-Soviet country that did not count the days of its sovereignty from the signing of its independence declaration. “The Belarusians showed their historic wisdom and insight in this attitude,” he said. “It is impossible to get freedom thanks to the scratch of someone`s pen. Any document, whatever important it may be, is just paper. There is no strength or will of the people behind it.”

Mr. Lukashenka said that the days of Belarus’ independence started with the “prayers and wisdom" of Saint Euphrosyne of Polatsk (1110 – 1173), resistance to mongol-tatars raids, the Battle of Grunwald fought on July 15, 1410, the words of Belarusian literary greats Yakub Kolas, Yanka Kupala and Maksim Bahdanovich, the courage of underground fighters during the 1941-45 Great Patriotic War and work undertaken by people to build the country’s industrial giants.

Before the flower-laying ceremony, Mr. Lukashenka and his sons, including the youngest one, Mikalay, took part in a march of veterans of the Great Patriotic War along the city’s main thoroughfare, Independence Avenue.

Independence Day festivities kicked off in Minsk on Friday evening with a ceremony to rebury remains of unknown soldiers at the Church of All the Saints.

The final part of the celebrations will begin on Saturday evening at 8:30 p.m. with a gala concert in front of the Minsk City Hero obelisk on Peramozhtsaw Avenue. The celebration will feature a performance of the national anthem of the Republic of Belarus at 10:55 p.m. and a fireworks display at 11 p.m.

The police beefed up security ahead of the festivities.

According to the interior ministry, the security measures are similar to those in place during all mass events since Minsk`s July 2008 bombing that injured more than 50 people during an Independence Day concert.