Sovereignty and independence

"Belarus of the 21st century is a stable state, firmly following the path of independent development."

"Sovereign and independent Belarus is a reality. It is our sacred duty to preserve sovereignty, peace, and a quiet and creative way of life on our land! To fulfill this historical mission given to us by fate, we must finally realize our national unity, embrace a simple truth: professing different religions we are united in faith; speaking two official languages we are one nation; relying on the experience of the past we build the future. We are the people of a sovereign Belarus, a strong and prosperous country, peaceful and open to the whole world."

"The history of Belarusian statehood has always been difficult. But the desire of our people to live in their own home was a linchpin that gave it strength and boosted its spirit."

"We will certainly prevail in this difficult struggle for the existence of our country as an independent sovereign state, the state that will serve, first and foremost, Belarusian people, for they have earned the right “to be called people” and to live on their own piece of land."

"For centuries, our people have been tormented, robbed, destroyed, or, at best, ignored. That was why we always dreamed of freedom. To live by our wits without looking back at anyone, to beautify our native land, to develop national traditions and culture, to work peacefully for ourselves and our children, for the benefit of the long-suffering Motherland. The dream has come true. We live in an independent state. It was incredibly difficult to win this freedom. It will be much more difficult to defend it."

"Our independence is based on the achievements of a generation of victors. Those who sacrificed the most precious thing - their lives - to bring the long-awaited freedom to our land."

"Sovereignty and independence are the greatest achievements we have today. I am proud and happy that I am the first President of this sovereign country. What we have created together is the greatest achievement. We have built the first sovereign independent state in our history."

"We must realize that the independence of the country is our common duty. If we want to live on our land by our laws and traditions, if we want to be self-reliant if we want our land to belong to us and no one else, if we want to live in peace and prosper, then everyone must understand: the country's troubles, the preservation of its independence is our common cause."

"True sovereignty is expensive, but without it the nation is unsustainable! To paraphrase Bismarck, I would say that independence is "a luxury that not everyone can afford."

"As head of state and President I am free. My hands are clean and there are no handcuffs on them - neither Russian, American, nor German. I do not owe anybody anything. Only my Belarusian people. I will pursue a policy in the interests of our Belarusian people. Not otherwise."

"In my speeches I often speak of sovereignty and independence. Believe me, I mean it. There is no lie here. This is not an act to please someone. I am truly committed to this idea. More than just committed, let's not be too modest here."

"Just remember: I am not a guy who has come to work as President for 3-4-5 years. I do not want to backslide on everything that we have done with you to create a sovereign independent state. I am not going to put it in a box with a cross on top and throw it away or pass it on over to someone else. This is never going to happen while I am President. This is our country. We are sovereign and independent. It's something to be proud of."