Therefore, the resolution on the protection of the state border is approved by the president every year. “Unfortunately, the number of challenges and threats on the Belarusian border is not reduced year after year,” the head of state said. In his words, flows of illegal migration, drug trafficking and other criminal activities are increasing. 

“There is an escalation of military activities on the other side of our border. Belarus has never threatened anyone and will never threaten anyone in the sphere of the economy or the military sphere,” the president said. “Speaking about the economy, I mean recent statements and an avalanche of criticism towards Belarus from Russia. They say that we allegedly threaten either to stop the delivery of oil to the west or to take oil from the transit pipeline for our oil refineries.”  

Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that an agreement on the delivery of 24 million tonnes of oil had been officially approved between Belarus and Russia. That's all,“ he said. Last year the president made a decision to increase staff numbers at border protection agencies in order to make them more efficient, set up new border outposts and battle-ready maneuver groups which had ceased to exist after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. 

Such divisions should be effectively deployed for border protection and have cutting-edge equipment for the prompt resolution of emerging issues in various conditions, the head of state remarked. Aleksandr Lukashenko also asked Chairman of the State Border Committee Anatoly Lappo to tell him how the agency was going to improve working and living conditions of border guards and their families. “What do we have to do today and tomorrow to raise the efficiency of border troops?” the president asked.