MINSK, June 10. /TASS/. Minsk will not tolerate the threats of some countries to block its merchant vessels in the Baltic Sea, BelTA news agency quoted President Alexander Lukashenko as saying.
"There is already talk of blocking the Baltic Sea to prevent merchant ships, including ours, from passing through. We don't trade through Lithuania and Latvia now, as we used to, because these rabid people won't let us go there. We trade through Leningrad (ports of the Leningrad Region TASS) in the Baltic. Here, [some countries say] will close the passage somewhere in Denmark. Are we going to allow ourselves to be bullied? The warships will accompany merchant vessels," he said at a meeting on the development of national cinematography.
The president drew attention to the fact that, unlike in Belarus, a troubled situation prevails in the region and in the world as a whole.
"God saved us and is helping us to preserve this piece of land. Look, the war is raging all around. Take Finland. I am immersed in this politics. I'm sorry that I'm holding this political briefing for you. Here [Russian President Vladimir] Putin tells me, ‘Listen, we lived normally [with Finland].’ He says ‘Our people went shopping there, everything was fine, we lived fine. No, they got the desire to join NATO," Lukashenko said.
He said that during the Soviet era, much money was invested in the development of the Baltic states, including "to show that the outskirts of the Soviet Union are developing." He said that now these countries are pursuing a hostile policy towards Belarus.
"Well, what was the problem of these three (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - TASS)? I saw how it happened. The republics were high-tech. There were ports there, live to your heart’s content. We traded, a huge amount of resources. What was wrong? Well, okay, you want to go on your own. We also want to live independently. Why are you spitting in our direction?" Lukashenko asked.
He also mentioned the situation in Ukraine and the Caucasus.
"What I'm saying is: here is this island [Belarus]. Do you think they'll let us live in peace? No, it costs a lot of effort. First of all, of the president, I'm sorry for the indiscretion," he said.