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Good afternoon, Mr President.

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Good afternoon.

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No matter what else is happening,

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and no matter what area of life we discuss,

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this nasty coronavirus always looms somewhere in the background.

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That’s true.

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What do you think about the notorious second wave that 

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scares so many people?

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What is the second wave? We just talk about it in our everyday 

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conversations or the media talks about the second wave.

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Well, all of us have learned something over these past months,

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and the second wave has become a set phrase.

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A bit, yes, this is true.

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In reality, this implies the development of an epidemiological 

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situation. This is the terminology that the specialists suggest we use.

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The situation is getting worse in Europe, more cases are being recorded.

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Of course, it is obvious, if we consider that it is the holiday season,

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and there are many people on the beaches and crowds in bars 

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and restaurants.

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No discipline.

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Yes, of course. All this individualism and a reluctance to respect 

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the interests of an overwhelming majority of society members leads 

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to an outbreak and a relapse that we are witnessing in some countries.

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I hope that, first of all, this will not happen,

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and that Europe and other parts of the world will cope with 

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the situation.

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On the whole, quite a few people in Russia have fallen ill,

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but we have one of the lowest mortality rates in the world.

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This is nothing but a manifestation of the national healthcare system’s 

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readiness, our ability to mobilise and the timely nature 

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of decisions to neutralise threats.

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I would like to once again express my admiration with 

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the work of our medics.

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In general, it is a tradition of all people in Russia,

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including Russians and other ethnic groups,

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to marshal their resources at the time of trouble.

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This is what happened this time as well.

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However, we must also give credit to the federal and regional 

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authorities, which summoned the necessary resources 

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for dealing with the main goals.

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And then, as I have said more than once,

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we focused our attention on what matters the most –

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the life and health of our people.

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These common efforts and targeted and, as it turned out,

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very effective solutions have helped us to pass the peak 

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of the epidemic and create conditions for further work.

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However, I never miss an opportunity to say publicly…

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You use this screen for doing this, for example,

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last Wednesday when you held a meeting with the Government.

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Yes, exactly. So, when I have an opportunity to say so publicly I use 

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it, and I am going to use our conversation now to address the people 

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and to ask them to keep in mind that the virus is still among us,

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even though this may mean certain discomfort.

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We must keep this in mind and, of course,

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try to comply with the restrictive measures suggested 

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by our specialists.

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This is really necessary now.

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The more disciplined we are, the sooner will we be able 

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to resume normal life.

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We are conducting numerous research projects,

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including into the so-called herd or community immunity.

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It is clear now that herd immunity has already exceeded 25 percent 

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in eight Russian regions.

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Overall, this means that if we tread carefully,

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preventing another outbreak of the disease, it…

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It will continue to gradually increase?

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Well, yes, it can increase, and I hope that it will,

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some day… We are seeing a decrease [in new cases] now,

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as we all know. But a day will come when the situation will fully 

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stabilise, because, first, we have created the necessary number 

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of specialised hospital beds, the necessary reserve of PPE,

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as well as medicines for combating the coronavirus infection.

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It is a well-known fact that we have registered a vaccine.

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Let’s not rush forward: we will have a separate discussion about this.

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All right.

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In any case, we have created this arsenal,

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and we can make use of it.

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Research is ongoing, and our specialists have determined what should be 

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done and how to act so that the disease takes the mildest possible 

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course and ends without serious consequences.

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And in the future we will certainly make use of every 

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element of the knowledge we have accumulated.

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Mr President, a few days ago I had a feeling that I had changed jobs.

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It happened when you made the announcement on the vaccine.

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My friends from Latin America 

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(I happen to work with people from this continent) 

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turned me into a staff reporter for television of Argentina, Uruguay and some other countries.

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Don't know but I'll allow myself to think so... 

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Actually most of them told me that when you mentioned your daughter

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 who had the injection [of the new Russian vaccine], 

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this left a big impression on them.

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I know how rigorous you are when it comes to personal 

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matters of this kind.

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But this announcement was instantly met with criticism,

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especially in the United States and Europe.

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By the way, you had a meeting with Government members from this office,

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and discussed the second vaccine.

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But what do we hear in response? “What kind of a vaccine is it,

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if it went through just two phases of trials? What are these Russians 

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talking about?” And it is true, there were only two phases of trials.

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No. We did everything that was required to register the vaccine,

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but with an asterisk, as we say.

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This means that this vaccine will have to undergo further research 

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as part of a mass vaccination campaign.

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Therefore, we acted in strict compliance with the Russian law,

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and the Russian law is consistent with the international practices 

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and regulations that apply in other countries.

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The vaccine went through pre-clinical and clinical trials,

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and was tested on animals as well as volunteers.

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Our specialists are absolutely confident today that this vaccine 

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creates lasting immunity and people get antibodies,

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as was the case with my daughter.

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This vaccine is also harmless.

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And thank goodness, my daughter feels fine.

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Did she seek your advice on this? Of course, she is an adult.

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She is an adult. She just said that she took this decision.

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Was she a volunteer or was this decision linked to her job?

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She volunteered, and considering her profession she needed it.

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Are we talking about the one who works in the biomedical sector?

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She works with many people, and in order to work normally,

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she needed a sense of security.

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As I mentioned, her temperature and was 38.4 the first day,

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and slightly above 37 the next day,

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that was it. After the second injection, 21 days later,

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she also had a slight temperature,

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but everything is fine. I just spoke with her by phone. She is well.

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Thank goodness, everything is fine.

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To reiterate, research will continue, but in this country,

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everything takes place within Russian law,

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which is quite in line with international practices.

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In September, we should have another vaccine.

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If the drug we are talking about has been proposed,

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researched and registered by the Gamaleya Institute, then…

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That is, Sputnik V.

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That’s right, Sputnik V.

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The second drug, as they have reported to me,

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will be ready in September.

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It is being developed by the well-known VEKTOR Institute 

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in Novosibirsk. I am confident that the specialists at VEKTOR will make 

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an excellent drug that will help people a lot.

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Will they compete, these two drugs, or are they mutually complementary?

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You should ask the specialists.

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I think that they will most likely compete,

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because they should not be inferior to each other in terms 

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of safety and effectiveness.

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The economic decline.

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In fact, analysts at Oxford some ten days ago and Moody’s during 

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the last twenty-four hours provided figures on the Russian 

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economic downturn. Generally, the Russian economy appears to be 

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in a fair state in comparison with the United States.

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Regrettably, the rest of the world actually depends on the United 

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States. But if we really look at what is taking place,

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how sensitive is it and what are the prospects for a recovery?

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The entire global economy is facing the aftermath of this 

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epidemic. If we recall 2008 and 2009…

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That crisis?

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Yes, that crisis. The global GDP fell by 0.1 percent.

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This time, according to the IMF,

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the World Bank and other organisations,

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there will be about 5 percent. It is a huge difference.

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Many people are comparing this with the Great Depression of the 1930’s 

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or even with the post-war events.

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Well, in the countries hit by the 1930’s depression,

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the decline is more significant than it was then.

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In the United States, for example,

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it is 9 [percent]. The forecasts for this country are 8.5 [percent],

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 but our specialists believe the figure will be 

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lower than that.

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In the environs of 5 [percent], I believe.

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Yes, in the environs of 5 or 6 percent. The United States had 9.5 [percent] 

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in the first six months,

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and the eurozone had minus 15 percent.

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Some experts – we know this well –

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say that this results from the difference in the structure 

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of our economies.

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Yes, to a certain degree, this seems to be so,

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but mostly this is the result of the Government’s decisions that are 

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targeted and timely, something that is also of great 

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importance, as I see it.

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Of course, there are some inevitable problems.

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I know that some companies that were hit hard are not on the list 

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of those receiving state assistance.

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And, of course, the Government should think about this 

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and make the appropriate timely decisions.

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On the whole, I repeat, support for small businesses and support 

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for certain major sectors, including agriculture,

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the automotive industry, construction, etc,

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that employ hundreds of thousands and millions of people as part 

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of co-production chains – all this was accomplished on time 

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and yielded a positive effect.

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As you can see, our key macroeconomic indicators remain 

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sufficiently stable. Despite predictions of major fluctuations,

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the current inflation rate is just 3.4 percent.

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According to experts, it will stay at 3.4–3.41 percent.

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And oil costs $46 once again.

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It would be better if it cost more.

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But this is no what has been forecast initially.

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Yes, of course, but our reserves are also increasing 

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despite all difficulties.

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This creates an additional safety cushion,

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which is important. It is not a cure-all against all troubles,

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but it is important. This makes us feel confident that, if need be,

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we can finance our social obligations.

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All this means that, first of all,

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we believe that we have overcome all the main problems,

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and I hope that we will now start recovering gradually.

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On the whole, we do not differ much from other countries in this 

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respect. I believe that this recovery will be guaranteed next year.

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Indeed, may God give us all health in the direct sense 

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of the word, plus economic health.

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Yes, of course.

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Mr President, it is not only the purely economic things that affect 

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the economy (for example, the oil prices returned to $46 as we 

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predicted) but also political factors.

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Belarus is, certainly, a political factor.

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Of course.

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We have seen numerous reports on your telephone 

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conversations with European leaders.

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But these reports are usually just scanty press releases 

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from the Kremlin Press Service.

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In fact, you have not yet publicly shared your view 

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of the situation in detail.

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What do you think of the developments in Belarus?

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You know, I think that we have shown much more restraint and neutrality 

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with respect to the events in Belarus than many other countries,

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both European and American ones, such as the United States.

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In my opinion, we have indeed been covering the developments in Belarus 

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quite objectively, from every angle,

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showing both sides. We believe that it is up to the Belarusian society 

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and people themselves to deal with this.

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Although, certainly, we care about what is happening there.

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This nation is very close to us and perhaps is the closest,

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both in terms of ethnic proximity, the language, the culture,

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the spiritual as well as other aspects.

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We have dozens or probably hundreds of thousands, if not millions,

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of direct family ties with Belarus and close industrial cooperation.

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Suffice it to say that, for example,

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Belarusian products account for more than 90 percent of the total 

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agricultural imports on the Russian market.

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You mean the Belarusian products imported to our country?

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Belarusian exports. If we look at other industries –

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for example, agricultural equipment manufacturing –

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the figures are similar.

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Therefore, of course, we care about what is happening there.

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But it is still up to the Belarusians to deal with this situation.

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We most certainly hope that all the parties will have enough common 

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sense to reach a solution in a peaceful way,

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without running to extremes.

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Of course, if the people take to the streets,

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it cannot be ignored. Everybody must listen to them and respond.

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By the way, the President of Belarus said that he is willing 

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to consider conducting a constitutional reform,

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adopting a new Constitution, holding new parliamentary and presidential 

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elections based on the new Constitution.

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But the effective Constitution must not be breached.

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Did you note that the Constitutional Court of Belarus issued a ruling,

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according to which it is absolutely unacceptable to establish 

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supra-constitutional bodies which are not envisaged by the country’s 

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basic law and which are trying to take over power.

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It is hard to disagree with this ruling.

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I looked at what they are writing about Belarus abroad,

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and often it is not about ideology but simply about facts.

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A lot of foreign articles about the events in Belarus are accompanied 

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by an explanation what Belarus is and where it is located.

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This is because as distinct from Russian citizens,

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many people there know little about it.

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And, of course, in Russia we remember the events not only after 

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the election but also before it, in part,

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about the 33 guests at the Byelorusochka hotel 

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and the Russian citizens that were detained.

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Mr President, who do you think got into whose trap?

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Well, now it is obvious. This was an operation by secret services.

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The people you mentioned were used without their knowledge in order 

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to move them to Belarus. They received perfectly legal assignments.

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They were told that they must go to third countries,

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to Latin America and the Middle East,

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for absolutely legal work.

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But in fact they were dragged off to Belarus and presented 

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as a potential attack force in order to destabilise the situation 

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during the election campaign. This had nothing to do with reality.

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00:15:42.992 --> 00:15:46.809
Let me repeat that these people were going to work in a third country.

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They were simply lured there, dragged across the border.

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00:15:50.104 --> 00:15:52.732
By the way, our border guards did not let them out and they 

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00:15:52.732 --> 00:15:55.120
could not move in anywhere.

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00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:57.956
But de facto they were brought in on fake documents.

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Ukrainian secret services?

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00:15:59.690 --> 00:16:03.899
This was an operation of Ukrainian secret services in cooperation with 

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their US colleagues. Now this is known for sure.

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00:16:06.555 --> 00:16:08.867
Some participants in this event or observers,

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00:16:08.867 --> 00:16:13.025
well-informed people do not even conceal this now.

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00:16:13.025 --> 00:16:17.305
Mr President, I think I have been lucky in my career as a journalist.

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00:16:17.305 --> 00:16:21.718
I had three detailed interviews with Alexander Lukashenko but you know 

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00:16:21.718 --> 00:16:24.205
him much better, of course.

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00:16:24.205 --> 00:16:26.197
In this context, I would like to quote what Mr Lukashenko said after 

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00:16:26.197 --> 00:16:27.893
one of his telephone conversations with you.

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00:16:27.893 --> 00:16:29.363
Go ahead.

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00:16:29.363 --> 00:16:32.709
He said that when it comes to the military component,

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00:16:32.709 --> 00:16:36.233
we have a treaty with the Russian Federation in the framework 

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00:16:36.233 --> 00:16:39.210
of the Union State and the CSTO, that is,

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00:16:39.210 --> 00:16:41.900
a Collective Security Treaty Organisation,

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00:16:41.900 --> 00:16:45.161
and these aspects seem to be covered by that Treaty.

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00:16:45.161 --> 00:16:48.448
Somewhat earlier he said you agreed to provide assistance 

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00:16:48.448 --> 00:16:50.203
to Minsk at his first request.

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00:16:50.203 --> 00:16:52.535
What is meant by “these aspects”?

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00:16:52.535 --> 00:16:55.248
There is no need to hush up anything.

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00:16:55.248 --> 00:16:59.434
Indeed, the Union Treaty, that is, the Treaty on the Union State,

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00:16:59.434 --> 00:17:03.207
and the Collective Security Treaty 

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00:17:03.207 --> 00:17:07.294
(CSTO) include articles saying that all member states of these 

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00:17:07.294 --> 00:17:10.760
organisations, including the Union State,

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00:17:10.760 --> 00:17:13.759
which consists of two states only –

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00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:18.004
Russia and Belarus, are obliged to help each other protect their 

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00:17:18.004 --> 00:17:21.603
sovereignty, external borders and stability.

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00:17:21.603 --> 00:17:23.721
This is exactly what it says.

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00:17:23.721 --> 00:17:26.855
In this connection, we have certain obligations towards Belarus,

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00:17:26.855 --> 00:17:31.124
and this is how Mr Lukashenko has formulated his question.

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00:17:31.124 --> 00:17:34.415
He said that he would like us to provide assistance to him if this 

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00:17:34.415 --> 00:17:36.717
should become necessary.

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00:17:36.717 --> 00:17:40.789
I replied that Russia would honour all its obligations.

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00:17:40.789 --> 00:17:45.680
Mr Lukashenko has asked me to create a reserve group of law enforcement 

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00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:49.995
personnel, and I have done this.

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00:17:49.995 --> 00:17:55.786
But we have also agreed that this group would not be used unless 

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00:17:55.786 --> 00:18:00.823
the situation becomes uncontrollable, when extremist elements –

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00:18:00.823 --> 00:18:04.915
I would like to say this once again –

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00:18:04.915 --> 00:18:10.632
when the extremist elements, using political slogans as a cover,

325
00:18:10.632 --> 00:18:16.934
overstep the mark and start plundering the country, burning vehicles,

326
00:18:16.934 --> 00:18:22.550
houses, banks, trying to seize administration buildings, and so on.

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00:18:22.550 --> 00:18:27.144
During our conversation with Mr Lukashenko,

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00:18:27.144 --> 00:18:31.820
we came to the conclusion that now it is not necessary,

329
00:18:31.820 --> 00:18:35.353
and I hope that it will never be necessary to use this 

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00:18:35.353 --> 00:18:37.951
reserve, which is why we are not using it.

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00:18:37.951 --> 00:18:41.966
I would like to say once again that we proceed from the belief that all 

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00:18:41.966 --> 00:18:45.709
the current problems in Belarus will be settled peacefully,

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00:18:45.709 --> 00:18:49.373
and if any violations are permitted by either side –

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00:18:49.373 --> 00:18:53.318
the state authorities and the law enforcement personnel,

335
00:18:53.318 --> 00:18:58.725
or the protesters – if they exceed the framework of the law,

336
00:18:58.725 --> 00:19:03.122
the law will respond to this accordingly.

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00:19:03.122 --> 00:19:07.865
The law must be equal for everyone.

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00:19:07.865 --> 00:19:13.851
But speaking objectively, I believe that the Belarusian law enforcement 

339
00:19:13.851 --> 00:19:17.692
agencies are exercising commendable self-control despite everything.

340
00:19:17.692 --> 00:19:21.456
Just take a look at what is happening in some other countries.

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00:19:21.456 --> 00:19:24.360
Yes, but the first two days were awful for many people.

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00:19:24.360 --> 00:19:27.513
You know what I think about this.

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00:19:27.513 --> 00:19:29.382
Was it not awful when people died in some European 

344
00:19:29.382 --> 00:19:30.934
countries nearly every day?

345
00:19:30.934 --> 00:19:33.368
This is why Lukashenko rejected Macron’s mediation,

346
00:19:33.368 --> 00:19:35.833
offering instead to help him deal with the yellow vest protests.

347
00:19:35.833 --> 00:19:40.987
Is it not awful when a defenceless person is shot in the back and there 

348
00:19:40.987 --> 00:19:44.101
are his three children in his car?

349
00:19:44.101 --> 00:19:45.805
Yes, it is awful.

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00:19:45.805 --> 00:19:51.269
Have those who are putting the blame on Belarus and the Belarusian 

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00:19:51.269 --> 00:19:55.903
authorities, President Lukashenko,

352
00:19:55.903 --> 00:20:00.234
have these people condemned these acts? I have not heard 

353
00:20:00.234 --> 00:20:04.371
anything about this. Why such discrimination?

354
00:20:04.371 --> 00:20:08.823
This makes me think that the issue is not the current events 

355
00:20:08.823 --> 00:20:12.588
in Belarus, but that some forces would like to see 

356
00:20:12.588 --> 00:20:15.058
something different happening there.

357
00:20:15.058 --> 00:20:20.372
They would like to influence these processes and to bring about 

358
00:20:20.372 --> 00:20:24.299
the solutions that would suit their political interests.

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00:20:24.299 --> 00:20:29.637
Therefore, I would like to say once again that the general situation 

360
00:20:29.637 --> 00:20:32.624
[in Belarus] is improving, by and large.

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00:20:32.624 --> 00:20:34.903
And I hope that all the problems –

362
00:20:34.903 --> 00:20:38.387
and there are indeed problems, because otherwise the people would not 

363
00:20:38.387 --> 00:20:41.591
have taken to the streets – that all these problems will be settled 

364
00:20:41.591 --> 00:20:43.683
peacefully within the framework of the Constitution and the law.

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00:20:43.683 --> 00:20:44.492
Thank you, Mr President.