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Lukashenka pledges to impose no restrictions on foreign reporters' work during world hockey championship

Alyaksandr Lukashenka promised on Tuesday that no restrictions would be placed on the activity of foreign reporters arriving in Minsk to provide coverage of the May 9-25 Ice Hockey World Championship.

While delivering his annual address to the National Assembly and the nation, the Belarusian leader said that he had ordered all law enforcement agencies and government agencies not to interfere with reporters' work.

"Let them come, let them look, we won’t hide anything," he said. "And if they criticize something, I will say 'thank you' and deal with those who have been criticized."

Acknowledging that some reporters were likely to be eager to highlight any flaw that they found, Mr. Lukashenka said that he flatly opposed proposals to impose restrictions on foreign journalists' movement.

"This is advantageous to us, let journalists come, look, write. But bear in mind that they will write about and take pictures of dirt when they see it. So let's clean up the country," he said. //BelaPAN