MINSK – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has urged the European Union to revise the principles of its relations with Belarus.
“Could you please revise the old principles of our relations? You should stop nagging us about the alleged use of excessive force [during unpermitted opposition protests on Freedom Day]. After all, we are not idiots and can see what is going on in the European Union,” Lukashenko said in his annual address to the people of Belarus and the National Assembly in Minsk on Friday.
In contrast to the European Union, Belarus did not use water cannons or teargas to disperse protesters, Lukashenko said. “The countries where demonstrators were poisoned with teargas, the leadership of those countries turned a blind eye to that and criticized us for using disproportionate force against those who were breaking the law. This approach is quite strange,” he said.
“An overwhelming majority of Belarusian people deem stability, independence and sovereignty to be sacred things,” he said.
“The entire might of our country will be used if anyone encroaches upon them. We do not care how we may be judged afterwards,” Lukashenko said. “We’d rather face your [the EU] judgment than be judged by the people of Belarus,” he said.
Belarus “should make considerable progress” in every area of its relations with the European Union this year, he said.
“We appreciate the lifting of restrictive measures against our country,” he said.
Belarus is proud to host a session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Lukashenko said. “Importantly, we will be visited by hundreds of European parliamentarians, who will see the life of our country. We have nothing to hide and everyone will be welcome,” he said.
