Exactly 30 years ago, on July 20, 1994, Alexander Lukashenko officially took office, becoming the first President of the Republic of Belarus.
That day, the meeting of the Supreme Council opened at 10 a.m. and gathered a record number of deputies. 318 people gathered in the Oval Hall (there were both journalists and diplomats). The first inauguration of the President of Belarus took place.
Festive events were held throughout the country in honor of the Anniversary, including a Forum of Patriotic Forces held at the Sports Palace of Belarus.
Representatives of public organizations and parties came to the capital from all over the country. The Sports Palace hall could accommodate about eight thousand people.
The leaders of parties and public associations spoke at the Forum, who recalled the stages that Belarus has passed over the past 30 years, defending and preserving sovereignty and independence.
The forum demonstrated the strength of the patriotic mood of Belarusians and stressed the importance of preserving and developing national identity.
Most recently, the President was asked what he considers the most difficult thing during the 30-year period. «Every day – morning, evening, night – you wake up in a cold sweat and think: they trusted you, how not to let you down. This is the hardest thing for a real President», Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview.
The President stressed that in order to preserve the state, it is necessary to preserve its independence. «There can be no state without it. And if there is no state, then there is no us. We are slaves just without it. Therefore, the most important thing is to preserve it», the Belarusian leader said
