English

Lithuanian president calls Lukashenka guarantor of Belarus' stability, independence

 

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said that Alyaksandr Lukashenka's victory in December's presidential election would safeguard stability and limit Russian influence in Belarus, Reuters reported with reference to EU diplomatic sources, BelaPAN said.

"Lukashenka is the guarantor of the economic and political stability of Belarus and of its independence. We [Lithuania] would not like to see a second Russia as our neighbor," Ms. Grybauskaite was quoted as saying.

The Lithuanian president made the remarks at her meeting with EU ambassadors in Vilnius earlier this month.

Ms. Grybauskaite stressed that the Belarusian opposition had no chances of unseating Mr. Lukashenka in the election. "Lukashenka could win by 99 percent, but he will only win by 75 percent to please the EU," she was quoted as saying.

The Lithuanian president visited Minsk on October 20, discussing cooperation in the energy sphere with Mr. Lukashenka.

Some political analysts described her visit to Minsk just two months before the election as a demonstration of support for Mr. Lukashenka.