MINSK, 18 October (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko appointed Sergei Khomenko Belarus' justice minister, BelTA has learned.
“Sergei Nikolayevich [Khomenko], I want to say it in public that you do not have room for error due to the amount of attention that is drawn to the matter you will be working with. To a certain extent, this is an extraordinary step – for those who are not deeply involved in the matter. It is normal from the point of view of involvement in the matter,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
According to the head of state, there are many good lawyers in the Justice Ministry, and they have been working in the field for a long time. “There are good, highly qualified lawyers in Belarus. We need very strong organizers and administrators because they will have to handle many organizational issues,” the president said. “There will be many events in the Justice Ministry, first of all, organizational ones. I will not conceal that we need loyal, well-organized and proactive people there. We do not have time to count to 20, to ten or even to three there. We need to make decisions and implement them. People will see it in the near future.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko is convinced that Sergei Khomenko has a strong administrative potential. “We cannot lose such a smart and devoted person of your age, a patriot like you. This is my personal opinion, and I have warned all officials, including the minister of internal affairs (I think he spoke with you following my instruction). I hope he tried to convince you to embark on this work and to prove that you are a true administrator,” the head of state stressed.
According to the president, Sergei Khomenko has enough experience to lead the ministry although he has been working in law enforcement before. Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that the Justice Ministry needs a strong administrator and organizer. “I hope that you will do your best. Therefore, I said at the beginning of the meeting that there is no room for error. This is my personal decision. I was thinking about different posts for you and decided that this would be the best choice for you and for the country,” the Belarusian leader concluded.
Previously Sergei Khomenko worked as Belarus' deputy minister of internal affairs. After the appointment as the justice minister he told reporters that as a person having enough administrative experience he is ready to fulfill all the tasks.
“The today's situation demands the resolution of all issues, not only in the economy but also in the field of justice. This field is versatile and wide: it unites notaries, lawyers and those in charge of control over the implementation of court decisions. The head of state gave an instruction to improve administrative work,” Sergei Khomenko said.
Sergei Khomenko was born in the Ukrainian town of Yasinovataya, Donetsk Oblast, on 21 September 1966. He graduated from the Ordzhonikidze Higher Military Command College of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow, the General Staff Department of the Military Academy of Belarus.
He served in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus.
Since 2009 he had been working as the first deputy head of staff of internal forces. Later he became the first deputy commander of internal forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs – chief of staff.
In 2014 he was appointed head of the Security Services Department if the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 2019 Sergei Khomenko was appointed deputy minister of internal affairs.
He was awarded the Order for Service to the Homeland 3rd Class, medals For Excellence in the Maintenance of Public Order, For Impeccable Service (all classes), other medals and lapel badges.
