Minsk Hockey Championship proves Belarus "civilized European country" - Lukashenko
MINSK. April 8 (Interfax) - Complete security for the participants in the World Hockey Championship and guests should be ensured in Minsk but security measures should not be intrusive, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.
"We are simply obliged to show our best side to the entire world," Lukashenko said at a Belarusian Security Council meeting in Minsk on Tuesday.
"I am certain that we will be able to show a high level of organization for this world hockey forum and prove that, indeed, we are a civilized country in Europe's center," the president said.
"Our priority task as organizers is to ensure security for participants and guests. The main thing is not to allow any provocations," he said.
"We should make sure that security measures are not intrusive and do not pressure competition participants, guests and reporters into feeling uncomfortable," the president said.
"I emphasize once again that we are ready for the world championship. If something should be corrected to a dot, some street or hotel should be adjusted, I think, we will do this successfully in the month left," Lukashenko said. "The main thing is this issue [security measures during the world championship], though a lot has been done. But security is the most important aspect - if we fail somewhere in this regard, this will smudge all our work," he said.