Excessive power, permanence main issues with presidency, Belarusians say

April 13, BPN. Belarusians consider “an excess of power in the hands of the head of state and his permanence” as the main issues with the presidency, according to the study “What Reforms Belarus Needs?”

The study, conducted by the Center for New Ideas’ senior analyst Hienadź Koršunaŭ in February 2023, was presented at an online event on April 13. It is based on 12 in-depth interviews with five men and seven women from different regions of Belarus.

Interviewees highlighted the “excessive centralization of power, which suppresses any initiative and makes other branches of power meaningless.” As a result, the bureaucracy is characterized by “conservatism and incompetence.” Officials are not guided by feedback from ordinary people.

“The activities of the government and parliament are completely invisible to the people. These institutions are useless today. Local authorities are completely dependent on their superiors. They are notable for a lack of initiative and incompetence, and their activities are opaque and ineffective. Citizens have no way of influencing local authorities in any way,” the think tank said in the report.

In March, BPN reported that 59 percent of respondents said Belarus needs reforms, citing a survey conducted under the auspices of Chatham House. More than 800 Belarusian residents were polled online from January 24 to February 3. Fifteen percent rejected reforms, while 26 percent found the question difficult to answer.