Lukashenko Attributes Global Crisis To Corruption In Western Authorities
Combined Report
Corruption in top echelons in the West is among the key reasons behind the global financial turmoil, President Alexander Lukashenko told the two chambers of parliament on Thursday.
"I do not know whether society will agree with this thesis, but I would like to say that the world's corruption that has invaded the highest echelons of the government in western states is among the key factors behind the current finance crisis that has caused economic slowdown," he said. "I do not want to elaborate. You perhaps know much yourself. Think over this thesis."
He went on to say that the number of critics of Belarus’ socioeconomic policies had dropped to nil amid the global crisis. “Moreover, global media, especially Russian independent media, have been writing that even Americans have adopted the much criticized Belarusian model,” the head of state said. He said he was speaking about “state regulation in many spheres of life”.
The Belarusian leader thanked the National Assembly for what he called their support for his uncompromising and even relentless fight against corruption and their courage to back strict prevention measures rejecting an allegation that "the risk of chief executives was justified." When facing an operation risk, a fair chief executive should "take responsibility not bribes," he said.
"Life has showed that we were right when we made fight against corruption the key priority of our policy. Russia, Ukraine and other countries have embarked on this path as well, because there is neither efficient management nor social security in corrupt economy," he said.
“One may say with confidence that the third National Assembly worked fruitfully and added bright pages to the history of the Belarusian state,” Alexander Lukashenko said. The Belarusian leader noted that the outgoing parliamentary chambers had worked under “difficult and controversial conditions.” “NATO has intensified its activities as if the world were standing on the brink of war. Recession trends in the economy have turned into a global economic crisis. A severe economic downturn has hit most countries,” he said.
The head of state stressed that Belarus had managed to avert the crisis and “secure economic and food stability.” “Let me stress that there are not just fewer critics of our line in the world now but they have disappeared altogether. Even the Americans have come to accept it against the backdrop of the crisis,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
In yet another jab at the opposition, he noted that “destructive forces with financial foreign aid attempted to undermine stability, turn the presidential elections from the expression of the people’s will into a mechanism of a violent change of government.” “However, we have managed to cope with the new global challenges of the world,” Alexander Lukashenko said.