Lukashenko says won't allow 'maidan' in center of Minsk on Aug 9-10

MINSK. Aug 6 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has vowed not to allow "a fire to be started" in the center of Minsk on August 9-10 during the country's presidential election.

"Some continue calling on people to join the maindan on [August] 9-10. God forbid if we start a fire in the center of Minsk and begin scattering smoldering pieces of wood around Minsk. We cannot and will not allow this to happen," the SB. Belarus Segodnya newspaper quoted Lukashenko as saying on Thursday at a conference on security during the election campaign.