Belarus gives shelter not only to the ousted dictator, his unofficial wife and minor children.
Former president of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev said at a press conference in Minsk he didn't regret he had left his home country and fled to Belarus after the April coup, RIA Novosti informs.
"I am convinced I did the right thing when I accepted the offer of the Belarusian president and left Kyrgyzstan," Bakiyev said.
He noted just one of his brothers was in Kyrgyzstan at eh moment, but didn't say which. "All other family members are abroad. I don't say where, because even members of government worry about their families now," Bakiyev noted.
He also stated he was paying all bills, he didn't spend money from state and Minsk's budget, Interfax reports.
"We pay for our staying here, meals and accommodation," he said.
Bakiyev stressed he had told Alyaksandr Lukashenka on arrival in the country that he wouldn't be a drag on the latter.
He laughed at journalists' suggestion he was that friend Lukashenka had lent money from to pay for the gas debt, as he said yesterday. Journalists reminded about information that Bakiyev allegedly has taken $200 million from Kyrgyzstan and said the sum would be enough to pay the debt.
"No, Mr Lukashenka hasn't addressed me with such a request," Bakiyev said.
In early April, opposition led by Roza Otunbayeva, who had supported Bakiyev during the Tulip Revolution in 2005, seized power in the republic and formed the interim government amid riots. The president of Kyrgyzstan left the country, moved to Belarus and announced his resignation. He later claimed he had resigned under pressure.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka was one of a few people who supported Bakiyev after the opposition had taken the power. Kyrgyzstan has been seeking extradition of the ex-president, but Minsk says there are no legal grounds for this.
Source: Charter'97 :: News from Belarus
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