OREANDA-NEWS. September 25, 2008. As the centre of Europe Belarus performs most important functions for the benefit of the entire European region, Belarusian head of state Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with Western Europe mass media.

“It was god’s will. Whether you in the UK, Germany or France wanted it or not, as the centre of Europe we have to work for you, too. At least we shouldn’t make problems for you,” remarked the President.

Alexander Lukashenko reminded, Belarus successfully fights against the flow of drugs, contraband and illegal migrants heading for Europe. “At present no man can infiltrate the European Union across our border. Several times we stopped nuclear components at the border and such cases were not unique last year,” noted the head of state.

“Let’s take NATO. You need to transport cargoes to Afghanistan. Do we make problems for you in this regard? Has the Prime Minister or Chancellor of Germany ever had any problems flying over Belarus to Moscow?” wondered the President. He also reminded, one third of the natural gas and almost half of the oil supplied by the East to the West passes via Belarus.

“Did we do something wrong in this regard for Europe? One must ask why you have to adjust Belarus after the likes of the United Kingdom or Germany or France,” said the President. “If assumingly the UK wants Belarus to look like the UK, while Germany wants us to look like Germany, I understand it. Moreover, I would embrace it. But the UK, Germany, France and others should bear in mind that you and us live in Europe. We have certain differences and we have certain difficulties and hardships at a specific period of historic development”. Alexander Lukashenko attributed it, primarily, to the fact that Belarus had been part of a huge empire, a huge country — the Soviet Union. “We didn’t have a division of the Soviet Union but a single-step breakdown. It happened while the economic state of the then Soviet Union was dire,” he reminded.

The President said, during the years he rose to power saving the country and protecting the people from a catastrophe was the most important thing. “Certainly, in order to save the economy, people, the state, in order to create a state (an independent state it had to be), both will and strict authority were naturally required,” explained Alexander Lukashenko.

“It has always happened like that in the UK, Germany, and France. Consider De Gaulle. In order to save France back then, very strict measures had to be taken, especially in economy. Why such a way could have been impossible in Belarus?” wondered Alexander Lukashenko. “We managed to secure the primary goal: create a free independent country and define its borders. It was complicated, too”. The President also remarked, Belarus has managed to preserve a high-tech economy, doubling the GDP in comparison with the USSR time, preventing various clashes and catastrophes on religious or racial grounds.

The head of state remarked, “We may reach the state of things you have. In state structure, economy, social life. As far as social security is concerned, we borrow a lot from you, especially Germany. We learn these things from you. Especially now. Rebuilding healthcare, we will exceed Germany’s results in two years”. Alexander Lukashenko underscored, Belarus needs time to pass through certain phases and make sure whether these or those variants of state structure or social protection fit the country. “But you shouldn’t make us hurry or push,” he concluded.