Alexander Lukashenko express condolences to family and friends of Silvio Berlusconi in connection with his death

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has expressed condolences to the family and friends of Silvio Berlusconi in connection with his death.

"It is with great sadness that people in the Republic of Belarus have learned the news of the death of the former chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, whose name is associated with a number of important events in Italy and Belarus. Thanks to his personal contribution, the Belarusian-Italian interaction received a strong impetus. He was a bright and talented man, a successful businessman and a farsighted authoritative politician who was able to assess the situation independently, make effective decisions and take responsibility for them," the message of condolences reads.

Silvio Berlusconi was one of the most influential politicians in the history of the Italian Republic, bright and emotional. Berlusconi's visit to Minsk was of fundamental importance to the cooperation between Belarus and Italy.

His visit to us in 2009 was the first in the history of bilateral diplomatic relations. The meeting of two charismatic politicians of the day is memorable. Lukashenko and Berlusconi conducted negotiations in a cordial atmosphere and communicated much more than the protocol required. Then there were no sanctions threats and ultimatums - both sides were set to reach a higher level of cooperation between countries and companies. And Silvio Berlusconi's visit became an eloquent gesture of support for Belarus in the international arena.