The Interior Ministry says protests in Belarus have “almost disappeared” and promises to organize a “qualitative selection” of law enforcement officers this year

February 10, BPN. The protests in Belarus “have almost disappeared,” Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakoŭ said on February 10 at the Interior Ministry Board meeting discussing the outcomes of 2021.

He claimed that “legal innovations in the field of countering extremism” contributed to a “qualitative response to the challenges of disruptive individuals.” The official said that access to “many relevant Internet resources” was limited, while “the opposition today focuses on the psychological impact on citizens.”

“On the eve of the referendum, we are being provoked in every possible way and influenced psychologically in the media,” the press service of the ministry quoted the Interior Minister. “A similar situation applies to members of precinct commissions. We will investigate each threat and identify all those involved. We have enough power and resources to do so.”

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Dzmitry Karziuk said that in 2021, police officers and Internal Troops “demonstrated a high level of organization and civic-patriotic consciousness, ensuring a proper level of discipline among the personnel.”

He noted a “targeted effort to optimize the organizational and staff structure of internal affairs bodies, as well as to create the most favorable conditions for the implementation of operational and combat tasks by employees and civilian personnel, ensuring the group cohesion.”

Karziuk announced the plan to implement “organizational and practical measures for the quality selection of citizens and staffing of vacant positions” in the law enforcement agencies this year.