A. Lukashenko: the opposition refuses to participate in the elections, as it foresees its complete defeat

April 14, Mozyr District /Vladimir Vasilkov - BELTA/. The opposition refuses to participate in the elections, as they foresee their complete defeat. This opinion was expressed today by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, answering journalists' questions, BELTA correspondent reports. "They perfectly understand that no one will support them in the elections. And they want to save face somehow - that's why they start babbling about how our elections are allegedly undemocratic, changes in electoral legislation are decorative, and so on," said the Belarusian leader. According to Alexander Lukashenko, almost all current opposition leaders in Belarus have previously supported his policies. "I, although I also came from the opposition, have huge differences from the current Belarusian oppositionists. I have never spoken out against my country. I criticized the authorities, fought against shortcomings, I was beaten, trampled, crushed, but I always fought for my country, for the interests of the citizen," the President emphasized. "The current opposition is fighting exclusively for its own well-being. It doesn't matter to them who to serve - the West or Russia, as long as they are paid." Alexander Lukashenko said that according to the information provided to him, it turned out that some pro-Western opposition journalists, receiving grants from the West, simultaneously worked for Moscow. "I was presented with such a quote from their appeals to Russia: 'Don't believe Lukashenko, demand that he withdraw from the Eastern Partnership.' Only when he makes such a promise, continue a normal dialogue with him," the President gave an example. "Imagine, pro-Western journalists, living on Western grants, recommend Russia to insist on Belarus's withdrawal from the European integration project!" the head of state emphasized. "This is the essence of these people," he said. "Today, their biggest headache is that the West refuses to give them money. And since they are not given money, they will not go to the elections. In a word, you friends, no matter how you sit, you won't become musicians." According to the President, modern oppositionists in Belarus do not particularly need power, as power is responsibility. "For example, if I constantly travel around the country - from Verkhnedvinsk to Komarin, then they, if they come to power, will have to do the same, they will have to work. Otherwise, the people will compare and say: you are working ten times worse than your predecessor," Alexander Lukashenko noted. "Therefore, it is easier for them to shout and make noise while the West throws them at least some money. That's how they live on this money, and they live well," the head of state summarized. He also added that if the opposition comes to power, they will inevitably have to pay their foreign sponsors for the support provided. "What to pay with?... Enterprises, land. Does the Belarusian people need this? No, they don't. That's why they perfectly understand that people will not vote for them," the President noted. That is why they accuse the country's leadership of undemocratic elections and other things, refusing to participate in the electoral process. "And it's a pity! Go to the elections, fight, prove that you can do something. But prove it with deeds. The times when people listened to empty shouts are long gone," the Belarusian leader stated. "If the current government, without any struggle, had seated two or three dozen opposition members in parliament (perhaps even introduced a corresponding quota), then they would have said, these are good changes... But after six months, they would have said again that everything is bad," Alexander Lukashenko emphasized. -0-