MINSK, August 19. /TASS/: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko urged the leadership of Western states, who are going to discuss the situation in Belarus, to focus on problems in their countries, he told the Security Council’s meeting attended by regional heads, BelTA reported.
"The leaders of Western states offer us talks and talks. And at the same time they keep pushing their own agenda. We see and understand it too but we do not perceive this. I want them to hear this. They are going to hold a meeting at the level of foreign ministers or the European Union’s leaders today or tomorrow," Lukashenko said.
"I would just advise them: before pointing finger at us they should put on the agenda of their meetings the issues of "yellow vests" in France and awful riots in the United States. I want them to first of all consider protests against the coronavirus isolation in Germany and other European countries."
Lukashenko stressed that the EU was facing many problems. "They should not pass the buck to Belarus in order to distract attention from the current problems in France, the United States, Germany and so on," the Belarusian leader stressed.
"It seems to me that these people have a beam in their eye. But they don’t see it. God bless them," he said.
Foreign interference
Foreign interference in the situation in Belarus is unacceptable and the state will give a rebuff to it, the Belarusian president said.
"Those who are sharpening their swords, especially abroad (this is already clearly seen) will get a serious rebuff. This is not a baseless statement. Polish flags are already being flown in Grodno. This is inadmissible. And such things will be radically thwarted," the Belarusian president pledged.
It was earlier reported that flags of European Union countries had appeared at rallies in Grodno.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is confident that the West continues to finance street rallies and unrest in the country.
"Western states, now directly and openly announce the collection of funds and their redirection to Belarus. We see that," he stated.
"Of course, we cannot track all funds that are being sent here. Because a lot of funds are in cash. But we are aware of the fact and will focus on this issue," the BelTA agency quoted the president as saying.
Denying foreign military presence in Belarus
Alexander Lukashenko insisted that there are no foreign troops in the country. "As for foreign forces, today there is no single person from other countries in Belarus."
"Another problem is fake news. Blatant lies in the Internet about foreign forces in Belarus and equipment from the Russian Federation in Belarus. You have probably seen these fakes being whipped up. They take a column of military equipment - it is unknown when and where it was spotted and whose equipment it was, but they need to say that this is from the Russian border heading to Orsha," Lukashenko said.
Belarus held the presidential election on August 9. According to the final data of the Central Election Commission, incumbent President Lukashenko won 80.1% of the vote. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who was considered as his key rival garnered 10.12% of the vote. She did not recognize the outcome of the polls.
After the results of exit polls were announced late on August 9, mass protests flared up in downtown Minsk and other cities, which spiraled into clashes with police. The protests continued for several days and, according to the Interior Ministry, over 6,000 people were detained and dozens of police officers and protesters were injured.
The workers of large Belarusian enterprises are showing their discontent with the situation and are demanding at rallies that new elections be held and the activity of law enforcers be probed. The opposition is calling on factories to go on a strike.
