Belarusian presidents says will step down if situation stabilizes

Lukashenko

MINSK, February 5. /TASS/: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will be ready to step down if the situation in the country stabilizes, as he himself said in an interview with Vladimir Soloviev for the Soloviev Live YouTube channel.

When asked how many more years he planned to lead the country, Lukashenko said that he "will always be there" if a war broke out or developments similar to the 2020 events took place. "Believe me, I am not a president because I very much want to be a president. God forbid you find yourself in a situation where you depend on numerous circumstances," the Belarusian president emphasized.

If the situation normalizes, the country will decide on his successor, Lukashenko went on to say, adding that reporters kept guessing who would be able to take the helm of the country. If everything is calm, such a person will emerge, he noted.

Belarus held its presidential election on August 9. According to the Central Election Commission’s data, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won the vote, and opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya came second. However, she refused to recognize the election’s results and left the country. Protests erupted in the Belarusian capital of Minsk and several other cities following the presidential vote, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers.