Russian President Dmitry Medvedev congratulated his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on Belarus’s Independence Day on Sunday and said he hoped joint cooperation would provide a boost for the development of the former Soviet republic.
Medvedev said he was counting on joint cooperation spurring Belarus economic and social development, including “the observation of human rights and freedoms.”
“I am certain that this corresponds to the fundamental interests of both our states,” Medvedev added.
Belarus has seen unprecedented economic and political turmoil in recent months, as increasingly frequent protests against the 17-year-old reign of he authoritarian Lukashenko have combined with a 36% devaluation of the national currency.
Lukashenko- who has never been elected in polls judged fair by Western observers – has jailed political opponents, including a rival presidential candidate. On Sunday, Lukashenko, dressed in a military uniform, told a crowd in Minsk that a plot was underway to bring about a “color revolution” similar to the previous revolts in other former Soviet states.
“They want to bring us to our knees," he declared. "This is not going to happen."
The speech was marked by the reported arrest of a number of protesters.
