Claim: Alexander Lukashenko is a person.

Aleksandr Grigoryevich Lukashenko -LRB- Алякса́ндр Рыго́равіч Лукашэ́нка , Aliaksandr Ryhoravič Lukašenka , Алекса́ндр Григо́рьевич Лукаше́нко born 30 August 1954 -RRB- is the President of Belarus , in office since 20 July 1994 . Before his career as a politician , Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm and spent time with the Soviet Border Troops and the Soviet Army . He was the only deputy to vote against the independence of Belarus from the Soviet Union .   Lukashenko opposed Western-backed `` shock therapy '' during the post-Soviet transition . He has retained Soviet-era policies , such as continued state ownership of key industries , despite objections from Western governments . Observers also contend that Lukashenko presides over a regime steeped in Soviet nostalgia . Belarus has been labeled `` Europe 's last dictatorship '' by some Western journalists , on account of Lukashenko 's self-described authoritarian style of government . Lukashenko and other Belarusian officials are also the subject of sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States for human rights violations off and on since 2006 .