“I am the last and only dictator in Europe. Indeed there are none anywhere else in the world,” the Belarusian president told news agency Reuters in a rare interview in Minsk.
“You came here and looked at a living dictator. Where else would you see one? There is something in this. They say that even bad publicity is good publicity,” he said.
Silent protests of 2011
“There’s no point in comparing the policy of Belarus and the Middle East. A few people tried through social networking to make the situation explosive,” Lukashenka said, referring to silent protests last year when opponents gathered in public places to applaud ironically.
“But nothing came of it. Nor will anything come of it. Every day we have changes here. There is no scope for revolutions coming to Belarus,” he told journalists, sitting in an ornate armchair in a luxurious room with green carpets and a chandelier in his cavernous presidential residence.
“We saved Europe from being slaves to your own Fuehrer”
“You (Europe) do not like the course Belarus is taking. You would like everything here to be sold off – in the interests of Russia or in the interests of Western companies,” he said, almost shouting as he denounced the West, his face coloring with anger.
“You do not like the fact that we have good relations with Russia. This is determined by our history. During the last war we fought together in the trenches against the Nazis. We saved you, Europe, from being slaves to your own Fuehrer,” Lukashenka boasted.
“Who needs these double-standards? Who needs instability in the heart of Europe? Not you, not us, not Russia. Let’s talk, we are people,” he said.
Is the president eager to found a dynasty?
“I am reproached for allegedly preparing my children, my eldest son as a successor. But I swear to you: I have never discussed this idea even with my family or with my sons. These are dreamed up by the Fifth Column in our country,” Lukashenka confessed.
“I shan’t be holding on to this job for life. As soon as people decline my services, I’ll put my brief case under my arm and I’ll be off,” the head of state promised.
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Belsat/Reuters
