March 21, Pozirk. Belarusians are enjoying a “relatively good life” amid regional instability, Alaksandar Łukašenka has told the outgoing National Assembly members.
“We have significantly strengthened our Armed Forces,” his press office cited him as saying. “The economy is showing growth. People are working and earning their salaries. The streets in the cities are quiet and orderly. The state is fulfilling its social obligations. And the most important thing is that our citizens feel safe and do not fear for the lives of their family members and friends. This does not come cheap.”
In 2020, MPs, senators, their relatives and friends faced threats as the opposition tried to intimidate and divide the authorities, the Belarusian ruler noted, praising them for resilience and making a “worthy contribution to the common cause.”
Internationally, a “geopolitical rift” caused a “large-scale, systemic crisis” as pressure and sanctions have replaced international law and diplomacy, he stressed.
Crackdown on regime critics in Belarus continues unabated since 2020 with at least 1,411 political prisoners. Their real number may be considerably higher because many cases go undocumented. Opposition sources estimate the number of political prisoners at around 5,000.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report recently said that some rights violations in Belarus may amount to crimes against humanity.
Officials in Minsk support Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II.
