General Frolov: When situation had a swing, riot policemen became totally unneeded

Last weekend a representative session of the steering committee for creation of a movement under a working name “Officers’ assembly” was held in Minsk.

General Valery Frolov was elected chairman of the steering committee of the movement, Alyaksandr Kamarouski was elected deputy chairman, “European Belarus” informs.

The organization is to unite reserve and retired officers of the army, KGB, the Interior Ministry and other special services and state structures who have vast experience of work. General Frolov states that the work on creation of the movement started long ago, but only now it reaches the stage of formalization.

“Members of the movement are veterans of law-enforcing agencies and special services. Now their friends, trainees, comrades are working in these structures… Adherents of our movement are also acting officers, but it is not sensible to ‘burn’ them right now.”

I can say that there is a serious desire of officers not to stand back from the process which is going on in the country. Such notions as duty, honour and a high sense of responsibility are not hollow words for these officers. There is a wish and readiness to use their experience and professional skills to influence the situation, to make the Belarusian Constitution to serve to the nation, and not be changed to suit personal interests; to make the election transparent and expressing the will of people.

An example of such a readiness is the action of colonel Kazlou. Our movement can influence for more such examples to appear. It is not the time for sitting in the kitchens and discussing the events with a bottle of wine,” general Frolov said.

General Frolov notes that Belarus was a rather militarized country is the past, and it has at least up to 250,000 former officers, and he believes that the new movement has potential; for becoming an influential, calm and sensible force which would be able to perform its tasks.

He says that there is a great difference between officers’ assembly and a meeting of officers. A meeting of officers which is to take place before the election is a facade event, where participants are to approve any initiative of the state unanimously. The officers’ assembly is to have a wide range of opinions during the discussion, though it may sound strange for civilians, and a strict discipline when implementing the adopted decisions.

“It is obvious now that the country stands on the verge of serious events, and officers should not be hostages or pawns in these events. In this connection I often recall the story of Vilnius riot police (OMON). When they were needed, they were used by everyone in order to attain their ends, but as long as the situation had a swing in the opposite direction, no one cared for them. They were in uncertainty, on thin ice; they were sitting in the Police Academy having barricaded themselves, and they did not know what to expect, what to do and what would happen to them.

I was a commander of Vilnius garrison then, and a commander of 107th motorized rifle division. I made massive efforts to ensure their safety. Some of them were sent to Russia, some joined my division on the authorization of the General Staff Soviet Union. And some soldiers of Vilnius OMON are still hiding from Interpol…

I do not want our officers, and especially officers of special services to find themselves in such a situation.

We are closely following the pre-election process, and an absolute majority of us supports Andrei Sannikov, whose level is much higher than the one of other candidates’, considering his experience of public state service.

We believe that under any president our experience, skills and desire to see Belarus a democratic law-governed state would play their role,” General Frolov said.