Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has lashed out at officials with children living in the United States, suggesting they were ineffective and could potentially be dismissed.
Speaking at a meeting during which he recieved reports from the cabinet and central bank on November 11, Lukashenka said that some government ministers have children who are "permanently living in the United States of America, studying there."
"And such ministers are currently reforming our educational system. It is clear what to expect from such reforms," Lukashenka added.
"I have never had any secrets from people regarding resolving economic or staff problems," Lukashenka said, adding that officials who "fail to achieve effective results" will lose their jobs.
Many children of senior officials in former Soviet republics including Russia and Belarus live or study in Europe or the United States despite tense ties and frequent criticism of the West by top authorities.