Authorities to vet people’s militia volunteers to exclude dissenters

November 3, Pozirk. Volunteers to join people’s militia units will have to disclose their attitudes to government policies during the recruiting process, says government’s Directive No 750 dated November 1.

The candidates will be selected by local executive authorities, administrations and defense councils and must be approved by local police, state security, military and healthcare authorities, it says.

The interior ministry will run background checks on candidates for commanding positions to prevent potential threats to national security.

People’s militia units are set up to assist police to maintain order. On June 15, Belarusian MPs approved the second reading of the bill authorizing militia to use physical force and weapons.