We need to make a decision on whether to invite Western observers, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a meeting with his authorized representatives in Minsk on 3 January, BelTA learned.

“We need to meet with the Central Commission once again and decide whether we will invite foreign, Western observers to the election. Everyone speaks against it since they come with preconceived assessments. I am not sure. I think there is another point of view. They may come or they may choose not to come. It is up to them. I think that in the current campaign, based on what is happening, we should seriously consider whether it makes sense for us to give up on the established practices. Come and observe,” Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The president stated that Western observers are likely to come to the election with prepared statements: “everything is bad, no competition, no show, as, for example, in the United States.”

“There was no shooting, either in the ear or in the head, God forbid, and so on… So it's bad. But we needed to understand that observers are not those who call the shots (it is actually special decision-making centers). The people who will come have a mind of their own. They will see the real picture in Belarus. Yes, elections are a show in their countries. In Belarus this is a serious event. Believe me, if we needed it as a show, we would organize such a show the whole country would be celebrating until July-August. But who will work then? We are not in a situation to have our guard down. The time is not easy. It is very difficult,” the head of state emphasized.