BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/01/2011

Belarus President Lukashenko takes oath of office fourth time

Alexander Lukashenko was sworn in as president of Belarus on Friday for his fourth five-year term after controversial elections in December.

Belarusian television broadcasted the inauguration across the nation.

Lukashenko, 56, was elected president on December 19, allegedly winning 79.65% of the votes with a 90.65% turnout. Western countries refused to recognize the elections, saying the ballot was rigged. Police brutally dispersed opposition protests and arrested six presidential candidates and over 600 protesters.

The inauguration ceremony gathered parliamentarians, diplomats and Belarusian intellectual elite in the Palace of the Republic. Belarus's first and only president, whom the EU is threatening to ban entrance into Europe, arrived in a heavily guarded cortege with his younger son and took the oath in Belarusian. The ceremony was followed by a gala concert.

The president assured his people that Belarus was immune from the coup virus that had swept several former Soviet republics - Ukraine, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan - over the past few years. Such coups were referred to as "color revolutions."

"The color revolution virus affects only weak countries, Belarus does not have any breeding ground for this," Lukashenko said following the inauguration ceremony.

Lukashenko said his country had enough potential to meet any modern challenges. "If somebody has doubts about their choice, excuse my boasting, but I will say that your president is your president and he will never fail you," he said.

Lukashenko said Belarus would go through no political upheavals and promised that his country would pursue closer cooperation with former Soviet republics, including Russia, with China, the European Union and the United States.

The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution on immediate sanctions against the leaders of Belarus over the response to the opposition protests that followed the presidential election. Washington officially supported the resolution later on Thursday.

MINSK, January 21 (RIA Novosti)

Source:

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110121/162238593.html

Search Belarus News and Analysis:

Latest News

Archive

Month, Year December, 2010November, 2010October, 2010September, 2010August, 2010July, 2010June, 2010May, 2010April, 2010March, 2010February, 2010January, 2010December, 2009November, 2009October, 2009September, 2009August, 2009July, 2009June, 2009May, 2009April, 2009March, 2009February, 2009January, 2009December, 2008November, 2008October, 2008September, 2008August, 2008July, 2008June, 2008May, 2008April, 2008March, 2008February, 2008 January, 2008 December, 2007 November, 2007 October, 2007 September, 2007 August, 2007 July, 2007 June, 2007 May, 2007 April, 2007 March, 2007 February, 2007 January, 2007 December, 2006 November, 2006 October, 2006 September, 2006 August, 2006 July, 2006 June, 2006 May, 2006 April, 2006 March, 2006 February, 2006 January, 2006 December, 2005 November, 2005 October, 2005 September, 2005 August, 2005 July, 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005

Subscribe Daily Newsletter:

Enter your Email


Powered by FeedBlitz