Aleksandr Lukashenko makes personnel decisions in KGB

The KGB should resolutely clamp down on the activities of foreign intelligence services in Belarus, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said while making personnel decisions in the KGB.

“You need to promptly detect all sorts of malign plans and intentions against our state. We must nip in the bud foreign intelligence operations on the territory of Belarus,” the head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko expects the new appointments to help bolster the state security agencies. “You are as familiar with the developments around us as I am. The good neighborliness policy that we proposed to our neighbors, including the visa waiver for Poles, Lithuanians and Latvians, was met with hostile moves. We also see an attempt to launch a war of sabotage groups in addition to an information warfare against us. We have seen this recently and we are pushing back,” the President said. “We see that they are preparing various kinds of armed units, up to entire regiments, as they call them, to invade Belarus. A lot has been said about this.”

The head of state also recalled sanctions that run afoul of international law: “This is actually economic sabotage and war against Belarus. This is violation of all international treaties and agreements. For example, they need to respect our rights as a landlocked country. They have no right to block us. This is spelled out in an international agreement. Nevertheless, you know what is happening.”

"It is essential to prevent corruption and protection racketeering by the bodies you supervise in Belarus. This is a very important task and the main reason why I invited you here in connection with the appointments. You provide counterintelligence support to both supervisory bodies and law enforcement agencies. You must take appropriate measures and inform me if someone suddenly has a desire to engage in corruption activities in Belarus," the President said.

"Protection racketeering, which is customary in other states (we have seen many films and TV shows about this) has no place in Belarus. This protection racketeering, if it exists, will affect our people very badly. Even in the smallest forms: ‘I'll help you, and you'll me’. This should not happen in Belarus," Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.

In this regard, the head of state noted that the committee, while being engaged in intelligence and counterintelligence, must keep an eye on internal problems. “I really count on chekists and expect to be briefed timely about the ongoing investigations. Where necessary the KGB will take appropriate measures by themselves,” the President said.