We have to destroy stereotypes in people's minds that Belarus can be isolated or taught a lesson.
— Alexander Lukashenko
The color revolution virus affects only weak countries. Belarus does not have any breeding ground for this.
A president has - and I had it even before I became president - a very special relationship with the people, a connection based on feelings.
American envoys came to see me before the crisis in Iraq and asked me to say that there were nuclear weapons in Iraq. I refused. They even told me that things would go well for Belarus in terms of investments, etc. All I had to do was to support them. I told them that I couldn't do it because I knew that there were no nuclear weapons there.
I'm an advocate of evolutionary, not revolutionary, changes.
Americans want to democratise us. OK, but why not go and democratise Saudi Arabia. Are we anything like Saudi Arabia? No, we are far from that. So why aren't they democratising Saudi Arabia? Because they are bastards, but they are their bastards.
The arms business is an absolutely acceptable business.
Dictators don't come from elections.
I have never moved away from my promises to people.
We will not have Americans telling us what to do... We cannot be brought to our knees.
During the years of my presidency, I lived a tough and difficult life.
Belarus is not a superpower, but we pay a lot of attention to sports.
For the sake of calm in the country, I am ready to sacrifice my own sanity.
I am reproached for allegedly preparing my children, my eldest son, as a successor. I swear to you I have never discussed this idea, even with my family or with my sons.
The history of Germany is a mold for the history of Belarus.
I am not afraid of mass media.
From my point of view, this is the best time of the year. I don't love heat. I'm a winter guy.
I believe it is important for both Russia and Europe that Belarus is a sovereign, independent state where Europeans can feel at home.
There are some people bent on blowing up the situation in the country. I call them the fifth column. They are not an opposition. They want to stage a rebellion in the country. Their dream is to topple the government and overthrow the president.
If you get a child when you're 50, you'll understand what children are.
I understand reform to mean the perfection of what previous generations have already done. I'm not an advocate of destroying, 'kroshat,' and then selling like they do in Russia. That's how we can prevent the wild corruption in our state like they have in the other post-Soviet states.
It is time to stop the anarchy on the Internet. We cannot allow this great technological achievement of man to be turned into an information garbage heap.
I have always believed that genuine democracy is fairness.
Belarus cannot be isolated.
Belarus will become the first government in the world that opens wide opportunities for the use of blockchain technology.
There is no scope for revolutions coming to Belarus.
We are not a gigantic state, we do not have nuclear weapons, but our army is sufficiently capable to respond to any threat... Therefore, we will protect our patch of land, our statehood, and our independence.
We are a peace-loving people.
We cannot allow any uncontrolled situation and destabilization in the country.
We have fulfilled all our agreements and all the conditions set by the IMF better than any other state.
Belarus is not the Middle East. The policies of Belarussian and Middle Eastern leaders are cardinally different from one another.
The sanctions which the West introduced against Russia seriously affect us.
We are trying to work around the world. We would like very much to cooperate with the United States.
Innovations, IT technologies, privatisation - it is all clear. We've conquered all of them. But everything is, very simply, one should get undressed and work.
If we put people to work and they are busy, we will have less crime.
I am for a single and unified Ukraine.
Unlike in the U.K. or France or America, we've never used water cannon for mass riots dispersal.
People call me an anti-reformer. That's absolutely stupid.
As president, I'm not supposed to play games or show my hand, because there's a lot going on behind the scenes that you don't see or hear and don't need to know.
The basis of my politics is, first of all, fairness and honesty.
We will never have Russian-style privatization.
As soon as people decline my services, I'll put my briefcase under my arm, and I'll be off.
Who is against human rights in Belarus today? Of course, no one should view human rights as the right to smash shop windows or stir up unrest in the streets.
I tried to be honest and fair, helped the talented and those in need.
I repeat for the umpteenth time, without making apologies: My children have had more than their fair share of presidency under their father. There cannot be any hereditary transfer of power.
The Belarussian people trust their army and are confident in the reliability of the national security system.
I ask myself what is a dictator? I don't understand. It is some kind of terrible person, a bad person. But I am not frightening. I am not a bad person at all.
It took centuries to form the German order.
You know that in the Eurasian space, Russia is the central state, the most powerful state. But to become an empire, a member of some empire, a province in this empire - you know, we're probably not ready for that yet, neither in Kazakhstan nor in Belarus.
American democracy has two faces.
