{"id":176399,"date":"2026-02-19T19:05:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T16:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/176399\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"former-agriculture-minister-accused-of-taking-1-5-million-bribe","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/176399\/","title":{"rendered":"Former agriculture minister accused of taking $1.5-million bribe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

February 19, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Belarus\u2019 former agriculture minister is accused of accepting a $1.5-million bribe, Deputy Prosecutor General Alaksiej Stuk told reporters on February 19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stuk did not name the individual in question, but it is clear that he was referring to Ihar Bry\u0142o, appointed as agriculture minister in February 2022, after serving as deputy minister and first deputy minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 2023, Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka appointed him as aide and inspector for the Viciebsk region. In November 27,  \u0141uka\u0161enka dismissed him because of an \u201coffense incompatible with public service.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier that month, news website Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported that Ihar Bry\u0142o had been arrested in the so-called \u201cmilk case\u201d involving alleged corruption and schemes for the export of milk to Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanstancin By\u010dak, the then deputy head of the Committee for State Security (KGB) Investigations Department, said the case involved 26 people, 15 of whom were taken into custody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to former political prisoner Ihar \u0141osik, Ihar Bry\u0142o lost weight while at the KGB detention center. \u201cIn fact, special conditions were created for him, for more than a year he did not even have a bed, he slept on the floor on boards that had been given to him,\u201d said \u0141osik, who was held in the KGB jail himself for a long time. \u201cThe cell had no toilet, despite the fact that he [Bry\u0142o] had blown the whistle on more than 50 people for bribery. But he gave the names of officials of ranks that they should not have been named, and that\u2019s why he was punished.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, the number of corruption crimes declined by 16 percent, Stuk said. A total of 843 such crimes were detected last year, including 384 cases of bribe-taking, 245 cases of embezzlement and 105 cases of exceeding authority, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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