Top senator concerned about hybrid warfare used against Belarus

Natalya Kochanova said: “The year since the presidential election has demonstrated that we live in an absolutely new political and economic reality. The life we were accustomed to has changed. The present situation remains tense. Hybrid impact is actively used against the Belarusian state. Political, economic, military, and informational pressure is rising. Efforts meant to destabilize the situation continue unabated. They are becoming more daring, more cynical, and sophisticated. Radicalization grows – an attempt on a reporter, attempts to set houses of parliamentarians and civil servants on fire, and now an arrogant murder of a KGB officer in the line of duty. All of it means that foreign handlers bet on terrorism and extremism. Ideologists of the fugitive opposition still hope to depose the government with hands of the people, who live in Belarus.”

In her words, it is necessary to prevent the incitement of enmity in the society, the propaganda of hatred, violence, the propagation of rumors that provoke panic and threaten social and political stability. “It is necessary to create conditions to get rid of those, who like arranging provocations and seeding discord. Any violations of law and order must be severely punished. It is the job of parliamentarians to improve the legislation, update it, and work proactively. The laws we pass have to suppress any encroachments on peace, order, tranquility, and stability. Legal mechanisms for fighting terrorism and extremism must be as severe as possible,” the speaker of the upper chamber of the Belarusian parliament noted.

Natalya Kochanova added: “We know history well. No one else understands the value of a peaceful coexistence the way we do. Many times Belarus has been an arena of devastating wars, which we didn't launch and which were launched through no fault of our own. And we don't want to lose our country. This is why the persistent realization of the idea of people's unity, which has begun this year, will be the answer to current challenges. Members of the Council of the Republic must make their contributions so that the person, the society, and the state could be one integral entity.”