February 12th, local time, Belarusian President Lukashenka said at the People’s Assembly in the country that he would complete a referendum on the new constitution of Belarus by the end of this year, and whether the country should seek neutral status before the adoption of the new constitution will be discussed.
At the People’s Congress of Belarus, which opened on the 11th, the participants adopted the five-year plan for the socio-economic development of the Belarusian state, which discussed the future direction of social development, the strengthening of the local self-government system, and the enhancement of the role of social institutions in the political life of the country.
Regarding the constitutional amendment of Belarus, Lukashenka said that the referendum on the new constitution of Belarus should be completed by the end of 2021, and it does not rule out the possibility that it will be held at the same time as local elections.
Lukashenka said that the new constitution should be formulated with great care and caution.
Regarding the suggestion of some delegates to strengthen the status of Belarus as a “non-neutral state” in the constitution, Lukashenka said that the country is not a “neutral state” in the strict sense now, and that the provision needs to be discussed with experts and re-expressed in the constitution.
Speaking of foreign policy, Lukashenka said that he would maintain the policy of establishing a “Russia-Belarus alliance” with Russia, continue to promote the Eurasian integration process, and develop friendly relations with China.
He pointed out that Russia and China are Belarus’ strategic partners, and not only at the economic level. As a sovereign country, Belarus is willing to cooperate with all countries in the world on an equal and mutually beneficial basis.
