"Find a job, those who don't have one," the long-time leader said, adding that those unemployed should be looked into.
President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus has labeled protesters who took to the streets in defiance of what many believe are rigged voting results "people with a criminal record" and "unemployed."
According to the Belarusian President's press service, Lukashenko made the comment during a working meeting with government officials on Wednesday.
"Everyone who wants to work, who seeks to work, should have a job and a salary, accordingly. Everyone who doesn't work today should be looked into and offered a job. The core of all these so-called protesters is people with a criminal record, and today they are unemployed. No job, which means those folks just take to streets and avenues." Therefore, I am kindly asking and warning everyone: get a job, those who don't have one," Lukashenka said.
"And I'd like to warn some of our, to put it mildly, bourgeois citizens: God forbid that someone issue fake employment papers to anyone. Everything must be fair and decent," he said.
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Lukashenko also instructed law enforcers and government agencies to ensure that his instructions are followed.
Belarus protests: background