29 March 2024, Friday, 15:43
Support
the website
Sim Sim,
Charter 97!
Categories

Corruption Not to Be Rooted Out in Lukashenka's Times

22
Corruption Not to Be Rooted Out in Lukashenka's Times

A few Belarusian bureaucrats have been recently accused of corruption.

The deputy chairman of the Lahoisk District Executive Committee was accused of bribery. A former Deputy Chairman of Lida District Executive Committee is also sentenced for bribes to seven and a half years.

Corruption crimes of "vertikalshchiks" (representatives of a vertical power) became common part of Belarus long ago. Since the beginning of this year there have been constant reports about them, Ruslan Harbachou writes in gazetaby.com.

From time to time Lukashenka makes statements about the necessity to fight corruption and junior bureaucrats are regularly jailed. Why do "vertikalshchiks" continue taking bribes and abusing a position of authority? Sometimes it looks really funny: bureaucrats often put their head on the block for several hundreds of dollars.

One can assume the issue is about two factors. The main difference between local leaders in Belarus and Europe is that in the first case the supreme power grants them a position, in Europe it is done by locals. Therefore, they do not try to win popularity among people, promoting solutions to ills and developing a region. On the contrary, it is advisable not to stand out with initiatives in order not to be reprimanded.

In other words, the people going into the "vertical" are hardly guided by glory or power – Aliaksandr Lukashenka will not allow them to have none of them. In such a case money is the main motivation.

It is extremely hard to fulfill yourself in business and in the executive committee even an also-run can get a position to make yourself feel like a God. People will come to you with money and services on their own to "resolve an issue". Many people in the depth of the country can't lose such advantage because of peasants' grip.

The second reason of political sleaze may be their almost absolute vision of execution of the law in the country. "Vertikalshchiks" cannot but realize what level of violation is needed when they are asked from above to bring a necessary result at an election. On their part, it is logical to assume that they are allowed to deviate from the law in certain matters.

Those who are caught out while bribery or official misconduct ignore the fact that the president must demonstrate anti-corruption efforts to maintain popularity.

However, "big fishes" must not be bitter since recently: after a short term in prison they are now granted executive positions in collective farms and small companies. It reminds of Stalin times, when thieves and the bandits had milder conditions than political ones and were treated as "socially close elements."

The country cries out for leaders of initiative and the system persistently makes bribe takers and vertikalshchiks.

Write your comment 22

Follow Charter97.org social media accounts