Aliaksandr Lukashenka on 21 July ordered officials to restore order in the Hrodna Region during a government conference call. He ordered a personnel shake-up, but stressed that officials who lost their jobs should be able to find employment elsewhere.
“The prime minister, together with you, must take the toughest possible measures over this week and next to address all these shortcomings,” Lukashenka said, addressing Chairman of the State Control Committee and his authorised representative for the Hrodna Region, Vasiliy Herasimau. “And do not think we will be left without personnel. Everyone you dismiss locally must, with your approval, find another job. If they want to go to Poland, fine, let them go to Poland. But no one is going to tolerate this chaos,” he said.
Lukashenka demanded that “the toughest possible measures” be taken within two weeks.
“You, of all people, do not need me to explain how much fuel, spare parts and machinery cost us these days. We also have to ensure calm and security. I will ask the defence minister to tell you what is happening around us. So you have this week and next. Take the toughest possible measures and report back. … Pay particular attention to my instruction regarding staffing.
We agreed that no agricultural enterprise should receive high-powered machinery or other equipment if it does not have operators. Why send combine harvesters there if there are no machine operators? This also applies to the combines already on site. The level of negligence and indiscipline is extreme. You have this week and next. Then report to me. Publicly,” Lukashenka said.
Lukashenka also called for strict discipline, accused law enforcement agencies of protecting those involved in fuel theft, and ordered that anyone unwilling to work during the harvest campaign be sent to the army.
