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West’s standpoint on his legitimacy does not concern him, Lukashenko states

According to Belarusian President, it is important for him how his people see him

MINSK, November 22. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed he is not concerned over whether the West considers him legitimate, noting that it was the Belarusian people who elected him.

"Why are you concerned about it anyway? Mr. President in Belarus is Mr. Lukashenko. Listen, I couldn’t care less about what you think about the President of Belarus in the EU," the President said in an interview for the BBC, partially published by BelTA Monday. "It was not the EU who elected me. You have not been recognizing me for a quarter of a century, and it is the Belarusian people who elect me."

According to Lukashenko, it is important for him how his people see him.

Answering a question about how Acting Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel addressed him during the recent phone talks, Lukashenko pointed to the transcript.

"As for how she addressed me, I can tell you, of course, but you won’t be satisfied. Take the transcript from the Germans and see how she addressed me. ‘Mr. President’ exclusively. And I addressed her as ‘Ms. Chancellor’," Lukashenko noted.

He drew parallels with the events during the last US presidential elections.

"You should rather decide on how you will talk to [Joe] Biden. Is he legitimate for you or not? In my opinion, he’s not. You saw what happened during the elections," Lukashenko noted. "Even you, BBC, CNN, you reported what was happening: mail vote, they put these ballots into trash cans, trash containers, amazing things were happening."

He explained that he drew these parallels to make it clear that he is "deeply unconcerned about what England or the US or the EU thinks about him.".

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Belarus Alexander Lukashenko

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