Interview with BBC

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko gave an interview to BBC on 19 November.

The interview lasted for about an hour. The interviewer was Steven Rosenberg, Moscow Correspondent for BBC News. The BBC production team has been working in Belarus for several days, including at the border with Poland. Belarus has provided an unfettered access to all media outlets, including foreign ones, so that they could cover the situation with refugees. Meanwhile, neighboring Poland has declared off-limits to news media.

BBC was one of many foreign media outlets that asked for an interview with the Belarusian head of state, and the production team was invited to the Palace of Independence.

The conversation was primarily about the situation on the Belarusian-Polish border, the details of the conversations with Germany’s Acting Chancellor Angela Merkel, the relations between Belarus and the European Union and Russia.

The President gave answers to all questions.

During the interview Aleksandr Lukashenko answered a question about the recent incident at the Bruzgi border checkpoint, when Poland used riot control weapons against refugees and violated the state border.

Cruelty displayed by the Polish security forces against refugees, including pregnant women and children, the use water cannons containing chemical substances in the cold, flash grenades and gas with toxic substances… All these and many other facts were reliably recorded and became public. But the BBC’s journalist noticed only "stones and sticks" in the hands of the refugees.

“You singled one episode out of context. Now let's recount how it happened. The vast majority of the 2,100 people peacefully asked the Poles to transit their country to reach Germany. A Polish officer came up and began to explain them (thank God, we filmed it) that they need to go to the checkpoint and submit applications, and that the Polish authorities would consider them and so on. In other words, he actually sent them to that border checkpoint. They all left [the camp in the forest near the border] and rushed there," the President said.

At that point, Aleksandr Lukashenko continued, there were no stones. The refugees knelt before the Polish officers. "They got this understanding that the Polish guards would let them across and that they would take their applications.  They knelt down, apologized for all the trouble, and asked to be let through. But they were not. That’s where it all that started. The Poles used the water cannons, in violation of all rules and regulations. What have we learned today? We have established that they used pesticides and herbicides. These are the substances you use to kill cockroaches and weeds. Please, take a look at a wider picture. We can prove this because we have evidence,” the President said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko also drew attention to the fact that the Poles actually violated the state border of Belarus by using special means on its territory. “Why did they shoot into our territory? Do you know that even turning weapons towards the neighboring territory is forbidden? Why didn’t you write about it? Why did you pour water with toxic chemicals for 100 meters deep into our territory? [Polish military personnel used special gear and ammunition against refugees, including pregnant women and children]. It is a violation of the state border. I am telling you that as a guardsman. I was stationed at that border back in the day. I know every meter over there. You at least violated the state border. You threw flashbangs into our territory. And we were accused of supplying the refugees so that they could throw grenades. A Polish soldier took a grenade and didn’t know how to handle it properly, so it blew up at his feet. And you blamed Belarusians,” the President said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko stated that in turn Belarus had taken measures to prevent weapons and ammunition from reaching the refugee camp at the border: “If I didn’t control this camp, there would have been weapons over there a long time ago. Weapons are being smuggled here from Donbass via Ukraine. If you don’t know it, then listen to me.”

The head of state also did not rule out the possibility that lives could have been threatened if provocations had been staged, including lives of foreign reporters. It is commonly known that the Belarusian side allows any reporters to go to the border in order to cover the refugee situation while Poland has imposed an information blockade. “I cannot rule out the possibility that they could have shot some Matthew [CNN reporter Matthew Chance] or you [BBC reporter Steven Rosenberg]. What for? In order to later accuse Lukashenko of it, to put the blame for it on him,” the Belarusian leader added.

“Why aren't you telling your viewers about the humanitarian aid that my people have been providing to these refugees?” the head of state asked a rhetorical question.

Aleksandr Lukashenko revealed some new shocking details about the actions of Polish law enforcers against the refugees: “They acted like fascists. As people were sleeping under the open sky, they used flashlights, sirens, and so on. They flew a helicopter. The investigators reported that they used tear gas, water, toxic chemicals, and that helicopters flying at a low altitude. What for? So that the helicopter's propeller would send those toxic chemicals deeper into our territory, to reach children.

“Why didn't the BBC report that Polish helicopters were flying over the border?” the head of state asked.

In an interview the President also said that he pursues an independent policy and acts in the best interests of the Belarusian people.

The BBC reporter asked Aleksandr Lukashenko why it is difficult for the European Union to talk to him. “I can answer why it is difficult for you to talk to me. Because I don’t dance to your tune. I pursue an independent policy. Independent from you and from anyone else – from Americans, the English, and the European Union. I see my nation,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

He also noted that Belarus has always tried to live in peace and accord with its neighbors. “Can you say I’ve bothered my neighbors? Did I arrange some fights at the border with Poles, Latvians, Lithuanians, or Ukrainians? Never. A summit of the Normandy Four on Ukraine took place right here [in the Palace of Independence where the interview took place] and the war was ended right here. Yes, shots are still fired, but there is no war that kills thousands of people,” the head of state said. “We’ve done everything. I’ve always said that neighbors are given by god and cannot be chosen. Did we make any problems for Lithuanians or Latvians? Never.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko drew the reporter’s attention to foreign interference in Belarus’ domestic affairs. “Why did you come into our house and try to destroy it last year? Why? What business of yours is our election? We didn’t meddle with the UK or America. You financed a mutiny last year. You did! You controlled the mutiny from Poland’s territory. You did. With Americans’ backing. You came into our house. We didn’t call for you.”

The President also warned against attempts to start a war in Belarus’ territory. “You should worship us. Worship! Because we fought against fascism. Seemingly in a coalition with you. Don’t you remember? Do you remember the guy, who would walk around and always smoke a cigar [UK Prime Minister during WW2 Winston Churchill] while ours smoked a pipe? [the USSR leader Joseph Stalin] Don’t you remember it?” the head of state asked. “You still owe to the Belarusian nation for World War Two. You still haven’t paid up for the losses we’ve suffered. It’s been less than 100 years since the beginning of the war but you’ve already stormed into this house once again and are trying to start a new small war.”

“You have to understand that if we start a war here in Belarus, NATO and Russia will get involved. It will be a nuclear war,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.