"No one can force me." Lukashenko on the reasons for pardoning so-called "political prisoners"
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, at a meeting on current domestic policy issues and preparations for political campaigns, spoke about the reasons for pardoning several dozen people whom opponents attributed to political prisoners, BELTA correspondent reports.
"We see that the main thing for them is to get grants, money. They don't care about anything, even about the issues for which they should actually live. Well, take the issues of so-called political prisoners. How many times have we said: we have no political articles, and we have not convicted anyone under political articles, because they simply do not exist. There are no "political prisoners". Fine. Well, then fight for these "political prisoners"," the head of state noted.
Alexander Lukashenko recalled that he had recently made two publicly announced decisions to pardon several dozen so-called political prisoners. "Well, they should be happy (opponents. - BELTA's note), at least thank us. No, they are concerned with proving to themselves and abroad that they have made a huge contribution and 'forced the dictator' to make such decisions," the President remarked. "Firstly, no one can force me. That is impossible. I often tell journalists and others: you know me well, I have never made decisions on orders or under pressure."
As for the pardon of specific individuals, Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that these were his decisions, and there were various reasons for them. "Someone got sick, someone can no longer walk around there as they did, freely roaming the avenues. Well, anything can happen in life. Someone no longer poses any danger. Someone has gone completely mad, their brains have turned - they got out (in