The inauguration ceremony took place at the Minsk Palace of Independence, extending his rule to 2030

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has been sworn in for a seventh term in office, extending his nearly 30-year rule of the former Soviet republic for another five years.

The former Belarusian republic gained its independence in 1991 during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Lukashenko was first elected in 1994 in the country's inaugural presidential election after the adoption of a new constitution.

The inauguration ceremony took place at the Palace of Independence in Minsk on Tuesday. According to the Belarusian news agency BelTA, more than 1,100 guests attended the event.

"We have created a sovereign state - we have much to be proud of," Lukashenko said at the ceremony. He pledged to continue to lead his country on a "path of peace and development, national unity and patriotism, justice and broad opportunities for everyone - what we call a state for the people."

He added that taking the oath of office in the year that marks the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in World War II is "an enormous responsibility."

"Today we all swear an oath of faithful service to the Fatherland and will not let anyone erase the creative mark in history - our mark and the mark of our predecessors."

The Central Election Commission declared Lukashenko the winner of the January 26 presidential election with 86.82% of the vote in early February. Under the constitution, the president must take the oath no later than two months after the election in the presence of lawmakers, top judges, and members of the Belarusian People's Assembly. The 69-year-old politician is the country's only post-independence leader. His new term runs until 2030.

READ MORE: Putin signs security guarantees for Belarus

His previous reelection in 2020 sparked widespread protests across Belarus and drew sharp criticism from Western governments, which accused Lukashenko of vote rigging. He denied the allegations, calling the accusations politically motivated. He has also faced foreign criticism of his leadership style. In November last year, heacknowledgedthat Belarus is governed by a "dictatorship," but described it as one of "stability, security, order, kindness, and hospitality."

(RT.com)