Main points
- Lukashenko called on Belarusians to “pray to the authorities” so that the country is not drawn into war, calling the situation “military”.
- He stressed the importance of monitoring personnel issues and threatened to send inspectors to the regions in the event of complaints about a shortage of specialists.
Why Lukashenko Believes Belarusians Should “Pray to the Authorities” / Photo GettyImages
Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarusians should “pray to the current government” for the country not being drawn into war. At the same time, he called the situation in the country “warlike”.
Channel 24 reports, citing a statement by Alexander Lukashenko during the appointment of new heads of district executive committees at the Palace of Independence on June 30.
Why Lukashenko Called on Belarusians to “Pray to the Government”
During his speech, Lukashenko called on officials to act as “masters of their land” and to exercise particular close control over personnel issues.
Why am I asking the question so harshly? There are many: “Serfdom, serfdom.” Listen, guys, today the situation is military. The fact that we are not fighting, the people should pray to this government. The fact that we are still somehow holding on. You see that around us – as soon as problems arise inside, they will intensify them, they will throw them at us, – Lukashenko said.
He also threatened that in the event of complaints from the regions about the lack of specialists, Minsk will send “two or three inspectors” there. At the same time, if workers quit or run away, those who hired them without the approval of local leaders will bear responsibility.
Note that this is not the first time Lukashenko has called for “praying” for someone. In August 2023, he said that foreigners should pray for Belarusians for suppressing the 2020 protests.
“That's why I always tell foreigners: you must pray for Belarusians. We saved you from the third world war by standing here,” he said.
And in 2021, in an interview with BBC journalist Steven Rosenberg, Lukashenko argued that the West should still “pray to Belarusians” for fighting fascism in the past.
Let us recall that after a meeting with Trump's special representative Keith Kellogg, Lukashenko released 14 political prisoners. Among them were Belarusian oppositionists, citizens of Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, the USA and Japan.
