Lukashenka's fifth presidential inauguration in Minsk LIVE


The inauguration of president Alyaksandr Lukashenka is to start today at 12:00 (Minsk time) in the Palace of Independence.

The President’s certificate will be handed to the head of state in the presence of more than a thousand persons, including top government officials, MPs, civil servants and foreign guests.

After that the festivities will move on to the Square of the State Flag of the Republic of Belarus where the army will swear an oath of allegiance to the Belarusian nation and the president. At the end of the ceremony the guard of honor company will march past the head of state, state-run news agency BelTA reports.

Apart from that, on the occasion of the president’s inauguration the Palace of the Republic will host a festive concert titled as Together Into a New Day. The country’s top stage will welcome adults and children, talents that have yet to prove themselves and famous Belarusian artists, famous Belarusians, who live in various countries across the globe yet are united in their love of Belarus, the agency stresses.

Watch the celebrations in 2011, after the brutal crackdown on post-election protests. The streets of Minsk are almost deserted:[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fba3AoPegaA”][vc_column_text]… and his first inauguration ceremony in 1994, when he tried to build up the image of corruption fighter:[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IliLJYKhqJc”][/vc_column][/vc_row]A curious situation happened shortly before Lukashenka’s first inauguration in the Government House in Minsk. The Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Shokhin smashed in for seats in the presidium, and there were no seats left for the Belarusian Cabinet. The delegation had to be reseated.

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