Aliaksandr Lukashenka has made personnel appointments at Belarus’ State Security Committee (KGB). The agency’s tasks have been updated and clarified. Lukashenka said the coordinating role of the State Secretariat of the Security Council, and of the state secretary personally, would be strengthened, according to BelTA.
“We are making some adjustments to the State Security Committee in terms of strengthening the State Secretariat and its influence over the KGB,” Lukashenka said.
According to Lukashenka, some aspects of the KGB’s work, such as intelligence matters, should be known only to him, while the state secretary of the Security Council should oversee the agency’s other responsibilities. The position is currently held by Aliaksandr Valfovich.
“I want you to understand that the role of the state secretary and the State Secretariat will be strengthened. Clearly, there are details and nuances, known to the KGB chairman, that are reported only to the president. Foreign intelligence, agents, residencies and so on. Only the president should know about these matters. They should not be disseminated or spread further. There are specific issues on which information is reported and approval, endorsement or strategic guidance is received.
But organisational and personnel matters, where something needs to be discussed — the state secretary and the State Secretariat should supervise them. Just as the government oversees ministries, the State Secretariat should oversee all security agencies. And report to the president,” Lukashenka said.
Lukashenka stressed that the Security Council must not lose sight of the KGB.
“Your relations with the military are now well established because you are a military man yourself. That is a good thing. You are completely at home there. Your relations with the Interior Ministry are somewhat less developed, but still simpler. But the KGB seems like terra incognita. ‘I don’t interfere because they report directly to the president, so let them carry on,'” Lukashenka told Valfovich.
Valfovich noted that his first deputy is currently a KGB general.
“It’s good that he is the first deputy. But he is still a deputy. I am talking about the State Secretariat,” Lukashenka replied.
Lukashenka stressed that he would maintain direct relations with the defence minister and the head of the KGB.
“There are direct relations. I keep an eye on this because people in uniform are very proud. This is the president’s area of responsibility. I often tell the state secretary: ‘You are the president’s assistant on these matters.’ But despite that, your role as state secretary will be strengthened from today. That is why I invited you here — so that you understand this. Without any excesses,” Lukashenka explained.
