English

Lukashenka says that he has no presidency plans for his sons

Alyaksandr Lukashenka said that he did not want his children to take the presidential job while he was talking to a large group of Russian journalists in Minsk on October 1.

“Just forget this talk about me preparing my sons to become my successors. It is not Russia,” the Belarusian leader said. “No-one will pass power by inheritance here. I don’t want any of my children to be president in Belarus. I am fed up and my children have had enough because of this presidency.”

Mr. Lukashenka reiterated that his office meant “terrible, tense and wild work” for him. “Yes, I am proud that I am president and that I have been elected president, but this is above all a hard job,” he said. “I don’t want anyone to jeer at my children, especially this baby [the youngest son, Mikalay], after I quit; it is the only thing that I am dreaming about. And this may take place. I see them doing this in Russia. What has he done for the Russian leadership? No-one should care about whether he was born in the right way or not. This is my son and I won’t give him up. I could have hid him as they normally do in your country, but I don’t want."

“If I am to quit in a normal way rather than as a result of pressure from the people, we will find Prakapovich, Syamashka, some Pyatrow or Sidaraw,” Mr. Lukashenka said. “These are strong people and I can put a good word in for them, but no more than that.”

At the same time, Mr. Lukashenka noted that he can change his mind in six months “if they start tearing the country apart,” forcing him to take "sweeping decisions." “But I don’t want this,” he said.