Liberal reforms are not for Belarus - Lukashenko
MINSK. April 21 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that his country cannot take a risk with liberal reforms.
"Our country cannot compete with giants in this liberalism. When I was still a beginner president I said that we don't have the money to take risks and start any reforms. What if we fail?" Lukashenko said in his annual message to the nation and National Assembly.
He said that only big countries such as Russia, China and the United States can afford such reforms. "This country will fail to mend these holes [losses caused by reforms]. Therefore I was always careful and did not risk adopting new ideas," he said.
"Europe together with the USA, who tried to impose the liberal idea on us, have given it up and are looking for a new pattern of development. So don't get into an old train carriage and don't push us to follow these liberal ideas. We have to join the world process and decide where to move to together with the whole world," Lukashenko said.
