Lukashenko convenes meeting to discuss ways to improve KGB performance

At the start the head of state remarked that he convened the meeting to discuss not only the domestic situation “but most of al. the military-political environment surrounding Belarus. It is alarming that our neighbors, Poland and the Baltic states, have adopted an extremely hostile and aggressive stance towards Belarus,” the President said. “We are facing pressure from all directions. Our security agencies feel this pressure most acutely. This is why we [in the country] and I, first and foremost, are paying the closest attention to the work of the KGB and the entire security apparatus.”
 
Some time ago the head of Belarus’ KGB made proposals regarding the improvements to the KGB operations.This includes taking into account the experience and practices developed in recent years. “The year 2020 was about lessons. It affected all areas of governance of our state, including the State Security Committee (KGB),” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted. “In 2020 and afterwards we saw our shortcomings and vulnerabilities. These must be addressed. This is the absolute priority.”

According to the president, the KGB, like other government agencies, sometimes “suffers from a degree of departmental isolationism.” Therefore, despite the head of state’s trust in both Ivan Tertel personally and the State Security Committee as a whole, it was decided to review the initiatives proposed by the KGB chief. The state secretary and the Secretariat of the Security Council were tasked with scrutinizing, analyzing and reporting on these proposals to the president.
 
“The Security Council accomplished the job. However, given that this is a specialized agency, a security agency, I decided to review these proposals in a narrow circle with people who previously worked at the KGB,” the head of state explained. “I hope we will discuss this matter objectively and reach appropriate conclusions.”

The main report on the stated topic was delivered by State Secretary of the Belarusian Security Council Aleksandr Volfovich. Among the participants of the meeting were Chairman of Belarus’ KGB Ivan Tertel, Belarus’ Prosecutor General Andrei Shved, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Igor Sergeyenko and Head of the Council of Ministers Office Valery Vakulchik. 

Aleksandr Lukashenko clarified that improving the KGB's operations does not involve reducing money allowances or salaries for its personnel. “We absolutely should not spare money for KGB officers. Chekists deserve proper compensation for concrete results. The chairman and I have established this system. I always emphasize after specific operations that those who earned the money should receive it, even with bonuses,” the head of state stated.

However, the president highlighted the importance of maintaining optimal staffing levels and rational use of financial resources. 

“We have agreed not to increase personnel numbers across all departments. You see what's happening: there is significant outflow from civilian professions to military service. We primarily need people in production and fundamentally cannot justify drawing them away from there. This applies to all agencies, including the State Security Committee,” Aleksandr Lukashenko told meeting participants.

The Belarusian leader addressed the topic of expenditures, which must be rational and not spent on unpromising programs. “We must focus on housing construction and increasing military personnel benefits overall, rather than expanding spending on unpromising initiatives,” he added.

Aleksandr Lukashenko also called for enhanced cybersecurity efforts, expressing confidence in Belarusian specialists' capability to provide top-level cyber defense. “We have smart, capable people in our country. We need to find them and ensure cybersecurity while valuing these competent patriots' input. There are many such people in Belarus,” the president emphasized.