Lukashenko: Don't push people to confrontation, don't discredit the country

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko urged not to push people to confrontation as he attended a rally of his supporters in Minsk on 16 August, BelTA has learned.

“Calm down, do not push people to a violent confrontation. Do not demean this peaceful, prosperous and quiet country that was envied by the entire world. This is the reason why we do not have friends or supporters. Everyone wants us to go down on our knees. We will not!” the president said and his supporters cheered.

According to the president, families of the military and civil servants, everyone who stood up to support Lukashenko, are receiving threats. “I want to warn you: you are playing with the fire! Our military, workers, peasants, doctors and teachers, our intellectuals, are capable of protecting themselves and their families,” he said.

“Belarus! Belarus! Belarus!” chanted the participants of the rally.

“I am asking you now: do not touch teachers! They need to prepare for school. Do not touch doctors; they should not leave the COVID ‘red zones' to go somewhere and explain themselves. Do not touch journalists of state-run mass media and their families! God forbid something happens, you will be held responsible,” the president warned.