Lukashenko holds session to discuss provision, use of foreign gratuitous aid

The head of state noted that the session will focus on issues regarding the provision of foreign gratuitous aid to Belarus, and the possible revision of registration regulations. “The Property Management Directorate of the Belarus President Administration have prepared corresponding provisions. In order to reduce the burden on the budget in 2018 I instructed the government and the Property Management Directorate to approve a set of measures concerning the provision of aid.”

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, these measures have already given results. There was a certain increase in such financial receipts from abroad. In the past three years the total volume made up about $240 million.

“We see that our foreign partners – various funds and associations financing the so-called humanitarian projects – have become more active. You are aware of my position. Money should not be wasted on destructive activities inside the country. The use of gratuitous aid should be under strict control,” the president stressed.

The head of state explained that this order of strict distribution of gratuitous aid emerged after the authorities noticed that not all of it had been spent on social purposes. “Our so-called opposition thrived on humanitarian aid some time ago. They lived well, and their, in fact, anti-state activities, especially at that time, were financed from abroad through humanitarian aid. I thought that it was not right when political activities were financed from abroad by means of humanitarian aid and determined a certain procedure. If it is humanitarian aid for, for example, healthcare, sport, people's health, Chernobyl projects, people from Chernobyl-affected territories, athletes, and people in need of medical care should get every penny of it,” Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked.