Report of Head of Belarus President Administration Natalya Kochanova

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko heard out a report of Head of the Belarus President Administration Natalya Kochanova on 14 March.

The head of state remarked that various topics were discussed and decisions were made during the recent events, including as a result of the Big Conversation with the President (a meeting with experts and journalists), the session of the Security Council where the draft concept of Belarus’ information security was discussed, other specialized meetings. “We have addressed many economic issues, discussed integration processes such as the relations with Russia, the European Union, in the EAEU, the CSTO, and so on. Important decisions have been made,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

“Everything that we were talking about, that we were discussing publicly and in private must be fulfilled,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

In particular, the president focused on questions which were received from people before the Big Conversation with the President. “If 3,000 questions came from people before my meeting with the expert community, you should consider 3,000 questions. You can give instructions and then monitor the progress,” the head of state said. “We must show people that we heard them and do not forget about them. We must show that we respond to their questions. I understand that there are different people. They sometime can do certain things themselves and redirect their issues to the authorities instead. But such people are not many. You still need to respond to know how people are doing, and to take actions if necessary.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko praised the fact that mass media also pay attention to certain issues of concern for people. “The fact that television (and summarizing programs) sometimes address these questions concerning people’s needs, construction of housing and roads. It is good. These issues should be taken under control, it is essential to sort things out in the entire country by responding to people’s requests and questions. This issue is of paramount importance!”

The president also asked about the progress in the preparation of the State of the Nation Address to Belarusian people and the National Assembly. He called it the most important event of spring. “We have already scrutinized many details. Please submit a variant of the address for me so that I could work on it, I do not want to put it on the back burner,” he said.

The head of state mentioned future electoral campaigns. He stressed that the country should not face any shocks in the coming two years, and the both elections should be held like a celebration. “But we must prepare for them. There are not many people in the Central Election Commission. Therefore, the authorities will be responsible for it, and the Belarus President Administrant is at the top. The government should not be distracted by such things. They should focus on the economy. This is the main thing. We should not conceal it, we must prepare for the presidential and parliamentary elections,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.