Lukashenko: Problems of people are very important to me to correct shortcomings later

The electoral campaign is gaining momentum in Belarus and now is a hot time for those who are collecting signatures in support of potential presidential candidates. Today 5 initiative groups are busy with this right now.

More than one and a half million signatures have already been collected for the nomination of the current Head of State in the upcoming elections. This became known following the meeting of Alexander Lukashenko with the head and coordinators of his initiative group.

The President thanked them for the work they have done. It does not stop and will continue until December 6. In the process, activists communicate with a lot with citizens. The feedback is important to Alexander Lukashenko, it is important to know what issues worry people today.

Pickets all over the country are a sure sign of the election campaign that has started. After all, it is not enough to simply declare your presidential ambitions - you also need to collect signatures in support of your nomination. This is exactly what the initiative groups of 5 potential candidates have been doing for the last couple of weeks. 100 thousand autographs of citizens is the minimum required by law. There were more than enough signatures for the current head of state last week. Despite his busy work schedule, a stream of negotiations and business trips, Alexander Lukashenko instructed the administration to make sure to schedule a meeting with the coordinators of his initiative group.

"I want to sincerely thank you for the work that you have done and are doing. I really appreciate it. Every day I am informed about the situation in our initiative group. But the circumstances are such that I could not meet with you earlier due to the events that were taking place. And now there is a lot of tension. But I asked that all events be postponed. After all, I had to meet with you. And I am sure that our conversation today will reach every member of the initiative group as much as possible. I know how hard this work is," Lukashenko said. He said that he knows from his own experience how hard this work is: "I once did this myself during my first elections. I didn't just control something there. I took signature sheets, went to the people, stood in pickets so that people could see in person a young man who dared to challenge a powerful machine and put forward his candidacy as a presidential candidate." "Well, in general, I will say this: without your work, there can be no candidates in the future. If there are no signatures in support of a presidential candidate, then there is no candidate. Therefore, this is the most important work," Alexander Lukashenko emphasized.

Incidentally, if he wanted to meet with all members of the initiative group at once, it would be difficult to do so, because there are more than 17 thousand of them throughout the country. "But I ask you very much, as much as possible, through the structure that you have created, to convey my words of gratitude to those people who work for our benefit," the Belarusian leader asked. More than one and a half million signatures have already been collected for the nomination of the current Head of State in the upcoming elections. Yuri Senko will announce the figure at the meeting. The trade unions have come forward with the initiative to take on this difficult burden.

"We don't need to be criticized, again: "Oh, here's the President, naturally, we almost put pressure on someone and are forcing someone..." - the head of state noted. "They will say it anyway. But let it be fakes, but not the truth. "We comply with the laws," emphasized Alexander Lukashenko.

Fake news and false information inevitably accompany the election campaign - it is important not to succumb to information provocations! Activists prepared and act strictly according to the letter of the law - and if it is envisaged to collect signatures until December 6, then so be it! No one will stop the process early.

Collecting signatures is a live process and live communication with voters. Activists have a double mission - plus explanatory work. Often, it is necessary to do both political and legal education.

The head of state emphasized that one of the most important aspects during the collection of signatures is communication between members of the initiative group and people. "I would very much ask you to have all the data (that citizens voice during the collection of signatures. - Ed.) concentrated and you informed me so that I know what people are talking about, what I need to pay attention to," said Alexander Lukashenko. - This is a good sociological cross-section. There is nothing better. Just write to me honestly what good people said - in two lines - and everything else that people demand and what is bad, from their point of view. This is very important."

"The problems that worry people are very important to me. And we will, naturally, work in this direction and correct those shortcomings that people notice," the President emphasized.