Lukashenka doesn’t trust law enforcement bodies

Leanid Yeryn, Stsyapan Sukharenka, Yury Zhadobin, Vadzim Zaitsau have been appointed KGB heads over the last four years. Secretaries of the Security Council and heads of the Presidential Administration were also frequently changed. On 15 July Lukashenka again changed the heads of the KGB and the Security Council and appointed new chairman of his administration.

Yury Zhadobin, former KGB head, has been appointed Secretary of the Security Council. Aide to the head of state Uladzimir Makei has become a new chairman of the Presidential Administration.

Major-General Vadzim Zaitsau has been appointed head of the State Security Committee (KGB). He held an office of first deputy head of the State Border Committee - chief of the main operational activities directorate.

Former KGB half colonel Valery Kostka told in an interview to the Charter’97 press center the appointments of new heads of the Security Council, the KGB and the Presidential Administration were “the result of stepping up of showdown between the governmental groupings”.

“I don’t new KGB head Vadzim Zaitsau personally, but I see his has some relation to Russia. He was born in Ukraine, but received his education in Russia. It triggers concern, because an agency of national security should be headed by a person, related with Belarus. I thought there was something in Zaitsau’s CV that mentioned he worked, for example, as a detective officer in the KGB. But I don’t see he worked in the KGB. He worked only for border troops. I am not sure it is the right choice of the new KGB head from professional point of view. His education and work experience can surprise. However, Zaitsau’s CV allows to understand his carrier development is closely related with carrier progress of head of the State Border Committee Ihar Rachkouski. They obviously were in one team. It is a well-known fact that Rachkouski is close to Lukashenka’s younger son,” Valery Kostka said in an interview to the Charter’97 press center.

“What concerns Uladzimir Makei, judging by all facts, it seems that the old team is being changed by a new one. It is obvious, that confrontation between the governmental clans takes place and management reshuffling has begun. Sheiman (former Security Council head – note of Charter’97), Nyavyhlas (former head of the Presidential Administration – note of Charter’97),Paulouski (former head of the State Border Troops Committee – note of Charter’97), Sukharenka (former KGB head – note of Charter’97) were relieved of their posts. Only Navumau (minister of internal affaires – note of Charter’97) and Maltsau (minister of defence – note of Charter’97) are still in the old team. But Maltsau stays in shadow and doesn’t interfere with policy, and Navumau is very close to Lukashenka,” Valery Kostka says.

Speaking about appointment of Yury Zhadobin as a Secretary of the Security Council, the expert said:

“Zhadobin didn’t make a good showing at a post of KGB head. On the contrary, a bomb exploded in Minsk on Independence Day, and the KGB head should have born responsibility for it. He has no “special” records except for looking for US “spies”. Zhadobin had worked as head of the president’s security service before, so he was always close to Lukashenka,” Kostka said.

As the expert think, the new appointments were made “not due to professional abilities, but due to personal relations”. “I don’t think anything will change in the work of the law enforcement bodies. The secret servicers work in the frames, determined by the political leadership. I have always stood for the secret services not to interfere with the political life of the country. Engagement in policy damages their professionalism. The secret services today are undoubtedly on the side of the authorities, but it can happen so that they will stand against the authorities,” Valery Kostka noted.