Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has appointed Yuri Seliverstov as Belarus' Ambassador to Russia. Until now, Yuri Seliverstov held the post of Finance Minister.

Yuri Seliverstov will concurrently act as Belarus' representative to integration bodies and is granted the authority of a Deputy Prime Minister.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that Head of the Belarus President Administration Dmitry Krutoi had characterized Yuri Seliverstov as a tough, tenacious person, a well-meaning go-getter ready to "travel extensively across the country and to neighboring and other states".

"I thought, why not have such a person work in Russia, where one needs to visit regions, work, cooperate with Russian regions, and oversee the main areas of our activity in the Russian Federation. And first and foremost in trade," the President said. "You are fully versed in these issues. You know the main problems we have in Belarusian-Russian relations. I came to the conclusion that of all the candidates proposed, you are likely the one suited to work in Russia."

"We often say that the embassy in Russia is not just an embassy. It is a second government. Because it is our main market where we sell our products. And it is the main country that invests in ours, always helps us. This is our Russia. Therefore, you can't send just anyone there. The level, knowledge, and desire to work must be appropriate. That's why we settled on your candidacy," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

"You, Yuri Mikhailovich [Seliverstov], have attended meetings, even at the highest level, and have absorbed the problems we have and may have, the ones that need to be solved. Given your mobility, that is precisely what I need," the Belarusian leader said.

Regarding Yuri Seliverstov's previous post as Finance Minister, Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked that he had no complaints about it. "Knowing that you are such a calm person, I always tried to prod you so you wouldn't, heaven forbid, allocate anything extra from the budget to anyone," the head of state noted with a touch of humor. "Although we have had no such incidents."

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko appointed Vladislav Tatarinovich Belarusian Finance Minister.

Until now, Vladislav Tatarinovich has served as Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus.

"He is a financial expert. He knows this field inside out. And I feel like he is not entirely suited for work in the parliamnet. It might not be his place. I thought that we would try him at a specific, but well-known job. After all, he has a background in this field: he once worked in the Ministry of Finance," the head of state noted.

"He is a capable person, he knows this topic. Why not use his expertise? I really hope that Vladislav Vikentievich [Tatarinovich], while he is working there, will train strong successors who will grow up [professionally] next to him. And if necessary, we will always be able to promote him to a new position and offer his trainees this job," the Belarusian leader said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that Vladislav Tatarinovich's candidacy was recommended and positively evaluated by previous minister Yuri Seliverstov, who has been appointed Belarus' Ambassador to Russia. "Such an assessment means that he will be able to work as finance minister," the head of state said. "In general, he likes money, he knows how to handle state finances. And I am sure that he can be trusted to safeguard every ruble and not to waste this money."