Law enforcers are subjected to comprehensive compliance control and the president appears to favour the KGB as most efficient among them

Belarus has a comprehensive compliance control established in law enforcement, which prevents “corporations of siloviki” from being formed.

On August 20^th, 2019, President Lukashenka chaired a law enforcers’ debriefing. Among other things, the president voiced some conclusions made by a comprehensive inspection held in law enforcement. According to him, a multi-layered cross-control system is in place in Belarus to oversee the law enforcement activity. The KGB was named the most efficient law enforcement agency. That said, the KGB, in addition to its regular activities, is responsible for implementing some projects dear to the president himself, such as the roller skies production and managing the secure communication system.

The president has named the KGB a ‘role model’ for other law enforcement agencies and praised its work. Apparently, by doing so he could aim to prompt a competition among law enforcers to “outshine” the ‘winner’.

The existing internal and compliance control in the Belarusian law enforcement system enables the authorities to have an objective and complete picture of the state of affairs in public safety and national security and objectively assess law enforcement capacities. Simultaneously, it prevents law enforcers from forming centres of political influence, creates some tension and competition among law enforcement agencies and ultimately, prevents law enforcers from becoming even aware of any common interest.

Overall, law enforcement heads do not pose a threat to the existing system of power, they have limited lobbying potential, and remain loyal to the president. Any talk about a take-over due to a conspiracy or external pressure imposed on the Belarusian law enforcement agencies (by Russia) is nothing but a speculation.