MINSK, 27 March (BelTA) – The decision in favor of creating a nationwide public security monitoring system in Belarus has been made, BelTA learned from Belarusian Interior Minister Igor Shunevich after he delivered his report to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 27 March.
Igor Shunevich said: “The head of state has accepted our proposal that any civilized state needs such a system. He has given instructions to put more work in a number of aspects relating to the practical implementation of the project. First of all, we need to choose the operator, which will generate all the ideas and will take care of the practical implementation starting with hardware acquisition and ending with operating the system. We've received the relevant instructions and will polish the draft presidential decree from the point of view of taking into account national peculiarities and the ability of our country to implement the project.”
The Interior Minister explained that Belarus is not going to reinvent the wheel: all the developed nations deployed such systems a long time ago this way or another. The Belarusian nationwide public security monitoring system will not be created out of thin air. “We already have certain parts of the system in place, including several thousands of facilities and places fitted with surveillance cameras, data lines, servers, and local area networks. The system is meant to unite all of that,” specified Igor Shunevich.
The Interior Minister noted that every owner of a building or a facility will be able to install video cameras and get connected to the public security monitoring system for the sake of ensuring protection, safe life and labor conditions. “Naturally, private companies and citizens will be able to connect to the system as an option, not a mandatory requirement,” pointed out the official. “A number of facilities need to have video surveillance in accordance with the existing legislation. There are plans to install surveillance cameras in about two or four thousand facilities soon. I think within one year or two.”
According to Igor Shunevich, a system to unite all cameras and special detectors all over the country will greatly improve the capability of Belarusian law enforcement agencies to take care of public security and promptly respond to various negative weather phenomena.