"Lukashenka is like: Nazarbayev says it's time to leave, but I don't see successors." Semchanka — about the meeting with Lukashenka in summer 2020

Lukashenka's meeting with journalists. July 9, 2020. Photo: BelTA

Dzmitry recalls that he went to that meeting with a specific goal — to ask questions about the future of power and try to voice what, in his opinion, could release steam in society: "I wanted to ask a specific question. First – constitutional reform. (...) About a successor. (...) A concrete roadmap for people to wait, so there wouldn't be a revolution."

Semchanka himself, at that moment, saw Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei as the most suitable figure for a successor:

"I wanted Makei. I really wanted him, I rooted for him, and if he had been made a candidate, if he had been the successor, I would have laid down my life for him. I trusted him. (...) And I know he was nationally oriented."

In his opinion, such a scenario would have allowed Belarus to gradually move away from Russia without abrupt steps:

"This would have been the best option, because Russia at that moment would not have taken such drastic steps, since it would be a nomenklatura successor. And this would have been an option where we slowly, slowly, evolutionarily... Evolution, not revolution."

However, as the former head of Lukashenka's pool recalls, even before the meeting, other journalists warned him that there would be no real discussion:

"One of the journalists, I won't name him, started saying to me: 'Do you know that they will perceive you as an enemy?' I said: 'I have no choice, I will say it as it is.' He said: 'Well, see for yourself, see for yourself. (...)

They are not gathered for discussing something. They are gathered just to swear loyalty'."

This prediction, according to him, was fully confirmed.

"There were 200 or 300 people gathered. This is not a conversation where it's a small circle and you can ask him questions and discuss something, really say 'let's save the country.' No. There are 300 people sitting. And they start asking various questions. And the questions are like: 'We are for you' — and all that."

Semchanka himself ultimately didn't ask his question, but Lukashenka answered it during a conversation with others.

"He said, 'I know that a successor is needed.' 'Nazarbayev tells me: 'Sasha, you need to leave on time. (...) But I say that I don't see a successor'."

As Dzmitry admits, he felt that this was a turning point, when "everything was going in the wrong historical direction."

At the same time, Lukashenka, as Dzmitry recalls, still promised constitutional changes and partial liberalization:

"I will carry out a reform, I will change the Constitution, there will be a certain liberalization, so that a president, like me, should not sit for so long."

Semchanka recalls that it was at that meeting that Lukashenka explained to journalists:

"If you leave and get in the way, you will be crushed."

Journalist Dzmitry Semchanka worked for the ONT TV channel from 2009 to 2020. From 2014, he was part of Lukashenka's journalistic pool. On August 13, 2020, Dzmitry resigned from ONT, and in September, he was administratively arrested for participating in a protest march.

In late 2022, Semchanka was detained again, and after two terms of 15 days, he was charged under Article 130 of the Criminal Code (inciting hatred).

In March 2023, Dzmitry was sentenced to 3 years in prison. He was released in July 2025, having fully served his sentence. Two months later, he and his wife were forced to leave the country.

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