The Belarusian People's Congress is a modern-day Slavic veche, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he addressed the 7th Belarusian People's Congress in Minsk on 24 April, BelTA has learned.

“This hall has gathered representatives of all strata of society, all professions and statuses: leaders, people in uniform, farmers, enterprise workers, entrepreneurs, teachers, doctors, scientists and artists, athletes - true representatives of the people. I am confident that all of you are true patriots. This is a modern-day Slavic veche,” the president said. “Simply put, this is a people's meeting, which now stands above all branches of power and whose opinion should be taken into account by the head of state as well,” the president said.