Belarus: Alexander Lukashenko marks 30 years in power

Belarus’ strongman, Alexander Lukashenko, marked 30 years in power on Saturday, making him one of the world’s longest-serving leaders.

He was sworn in as president on 20 July 1994 following the country’s first elections as an independent state in the post-Soviet era.

Three decades later, he remains in absolute control, cosying up to Vladimir Putin’s Russia, reverting to Soviet-style economic controls and methods, and harshly…