Lukashenko spoke about his "own child" in Gomel, which he did not allow to be ruined in due time
January 15, 2026
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, while approving the appointment of a new rector to the Gomel State Medical University, recalled how he had previously been advised to close this university. But time has shown that the decision made by the head of state to preserve this educational institution has paid off, the BELTA correspondent reports.
"You can say that this (university. - BELTA's note) is my own child. Why? Because there were many different discussions before the presidency. Especially when I became President, many suggested simply liquidating it. In principle, the motivation was clear. We could train enough specialists on the existing bases in Minsk, Vitebsk, and Grodno. But I felt sorry for the Gomel University. And I understand that this is a regional university where specialists are trained for the region - the southeast, the Mogilev region, and so on (specialists are trained. - BELTA's note). The guys are simpler, you can say, in a good sense of the word. They will mainly work in the region. I felt sorry for the medics, for this university. I was well acquainted with it before the presidency, I visited it more than once when I was a deputy. Therefore, I said: "No, I cannot bring myself to liquidate this university." And now I am convinced that this university can live and develop," said the Belarusian leader.