Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday refuted the reports that recent changes in the government could be linked to the upcoming 2020 presidential election.
MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th August, 2018) Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday refuted the reports that recent changes in the government could be linked to the upcoming 2020 presidential election.
On Tuesday, the president dismissed the country's industry, architecture and construction ministers and warned two other officials that they might lose their jobs too, unless their performance got better.
"When I read [media reports on the potential links between the election and president criticizing the government], I thought to myself: when is the presidential election ... It turns out, the timeline is [no later than] 2020 ... What populism ahead of election can there be? It is just that someone wants to have the election tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. But I have already answered this question. We will hold the presidential election strictly according to the constitution of our country," Lukashenko said, as quoted by Belta news agency.
The president stressed that there was no need to hold election in the near future and therefore promote some populist decisions.
Earlier in the day, Lukashenko appointed Sergey Rumas, the former head of the Development Bank of Belarus, as the country's prime minister.
Belarus is expected to have both presidential and parliamentary elections in 2020.
