BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/07/2008

Former KGB Lieutenant-Colonel commented on replacements in Belarus Security Council and KGB

Former KGB Lieutenant-Colonel Valery Kostka told in an interview to Khartiya'97 the appointments of new heads of the Security Council, the KGB and the Presidential Administration were "the result of stepping up of showdown between the governmental groupings". He said he did not know the new KGB head Vadim Zaitsev personally, but he saw his had some relation to Russia. He was born in Ukraine, but received his education in Russia. "It triggers concern, because an agency of national security should be headed by a person, related to Belarus. (..) I don't see he worked in the KGB. He worked only for border troops. I am not sure it is the right choice of the new KGB head from professional point of view". Kostka marked that Zaitsev's CV allows to understand his carrier development was closely related with carrier progress of head of the State Border Committee Igor Rachkovsky; they obviously were in one team. Simultaneously it is a well-known fact that Rachkovsky is close to Lukashenka's younger son, according to Kostka.

"What concerns Vladimir Makey, judging by all facts, it seems that the old team is being changed by a new one. It is obvious, that confrontation between the governmental clans takes place and management reshuffling has begun. Former Security Council head Sheiman, former head of the Presidential Administration Nevyglas, ex-head of the State Border Troops Committee Pavlovsky, ex-KGB chief Sukharenko were relieved of their posts. Only Interior Minister Naumov and Defence Minister Maltsev are still in the old team. But Maltsev stays in shadow and doesn't interfere with policy, and Naumov is very close to Lukashenko." As the expert think, the new appointments were made "not due to professional abilities, but due to personal relations". "I don't think anything will change in the work of the law enforcement bodies. The secret service employees work in the frames, determined by the political leadership. I have always stood for the secret services not to interfere with the political life of the country. Engagement in policy damages their professionalism. The secret services today are undoubtedly on the side of the authorities, but it can happen so that they will stand against the authorities," Valery Kostka noted.

Source:

http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=1601

Google