MINSK, 25 February (BelTA) – The State Security Committee (KGB) will step up efforts to prevent destructive outside influence on Belarus, Sergei Terebov, who was appointed first deputy chairman of the KGB, told reporters after the meeting with Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 25 February, BelTA informs.
Sergei Terebov previously worked as head of the Gomel Oblast department of the State Security Committee. The Gomel Oblast department of the KGB will be led by Aleksandr Melnikov, former head of the KGB's internal affairs department.
“The first deputy chairman is in charge of handling tasks exceptionally under the purview of the KGB, including the organization of counter-intelligence operations, war on terrorism, etc. Instructions were given taking into account this specifics,” Sergei Terebov said. “Every year is different. The situation in general is stable and under control. But we also need to take into account the transit nature of our republic. The main objective will be the prevention of destructive outside influence. We will focus on this matter.”
Speaking with senior officials of the State Security committee, the president also mentioned anti-corruption efforts. “He emphasized the need to obtain comprehensive information about delinquent activities, inadmissibility of formalism, stereotyped approaches in work, duplication of tasks in law enforcement,” the first deputy chairman of the KGB said.
Besides, Aleksandr Lukashenko spoke about the personnel policy in the State Security Committee. The president stressed that continuity is important, the level of personnel training should be constantly improving.
The president also appointed Gennady Kazakevich, who previously led the main department for drug control and prevention of human trafficking of the criminal police department of the Internal Affairs Ministry, first deputy minister of internal affairs – head of criminal police. In his words, the most widespread crimes are thefts, robberies, assaults, homicides, infliction of bodily harm. Therefore, the president gave an instruction to focus on the protection of people's lives, health and property. “The number of such crimes has reduced in recent years. This is a positive trend. We must step up efforts in this field,” Gennady Kazakevich stressed.
The Internal Affairs Ministry will also have to step up anti-corruption efforts. Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that this work should be systematic. “We must focus on crimes inflicting the biggest damage to the interests of the state and the society rather than on small corruption cases,” the first deputy internal affairs minister said.
