The president crashes down on KGB, heavily battering the image of the notorious Belarusian secret service.
Thirsday, July 19 was the climax of the action - Lukashenka sacked Sciapan Sukharenka, Head of the Belarusian KGB, and crashed down on the Belarusian secret service in General. Moreover – his critique was not internal, but broadcast all over the country by all major TV channels. This was a kind of show we’ve never seen before.
Here is a couple of Lukashenka’s quotations:
“I will not tolerate any alternative power centers”
“There are honest people [in KGB] on minor positions, but this doesn’t refer to those sitting in this hall” (Lukashenka spoke in the room full of major KGB officers)
Some more here.
Lukashenka openly admitted that KGB is often serving as a cover-up for illegal operations and businesses, that KGB is plagued by nepotism and information leaks.
Lukashenka has long since perfected his strategy of creating rivalry within the “power ministries”, which helped him to keep both police, KGB and control organs under his control, with neither party becoming a major force. Now, it seems, the rivalry has gone so far, that the president himself had to interfere. Or – perhaps KGB has grown too powerful or independent? Or started playing games on the Russian field? These and many other theories are being actively discussed. The only thing leaves no doubt: the image of KGB has been severely battered by the president. Lukashenka publicly put the secret service in the pillory. Some of his moves actually humiliated the KGB elite: Sukharenka was succeeded by Yury Zhadobin, the former Chief of personal security service of Lukashenka. Zhadobin has no professional KGB background, which is another heavy blow to KGB, which takes a certain pride into its traditions, which provide that the head of the secret service should work his way “from below”.
By the time when this article was published, the official KGB web-site still called Sciapan Sukharenka Head of KGB of the Republic of Belarus. Some information web-sites, however, claimed Sukharenka was arrested. However, Narodnaya Volya, the leading independent daily newspaper, found the ex-head of KGB in his summer house (photo source). He seemed to be enjoying his vacation.
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