State Secretary of the Union State Dmitry MezentsevMINSK, Feb. 1 Successful integration of Belarus and Russia will be the best a response to Western sanctions, said State Secretary of the Union State Dmitry Mezentsev. According to the Secretary of State, it is necessary to move away from unreasonable competition, support entrepreneurship and deepen regional cooperation. Relations between Belarus and Western countries have deteriorated sharply after the presidential elections in the republic, which were held on August 9, 2020. They were won by Alexander Lukashenko, who received, according to the CEC, 80.1% of the vote. Mass protest actions of the opposition took place in the country. The Belarusian authorities have repeatedly stated that the protests in the country are coordinated from abroad. Lukashenka accused the West of direct interference in the situation in the republic, noted that the United States is directing the riots, while the Europeans «play along» with them. The European Union, Great Britain, the United States, Canada and a number of other countries gradually imposed sanctions against Belarusian officials, as well as enterprises, accusing Minsk of election violations and violations of human rights. Belarus announced response measures.
