MINSK, 2 August (BelTA) – The violation of the border should not be left unpunished, such crimes should be nipped by all means, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he appointed a new chief of the State Border Committee, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian head of state.
Alexander Lukashenko noted that it had been a mistake to let the State Border Committee focus on border policy, rather than its direct duty to protect the state border. “The State Border Committee insisted on that. However, it did not mean that they no longer had to protect the border. It was wrong to let them turn from the military men into politicians. Their major goal is to protect the state border,” the President said.
The head of state commented on his recent decisions. “As for the recent decisions, including personnel decisions, there should not be much fuss about it. Quite the opposite, the punishment was too lenient. In the times of the Soviet Union these people would be jailed. Most of the blame goes to border guards, because the border guard unit detected the plane, but the order to punish the border trespassers did not go through,” the President said.
“Violations of the border should not be left unpunished. They should be prevented tooth and nail, including with the use of weapons. Border guards should prove their loyalty to the Homeland. You know my personal attitude to border guards, and I will never let anyone mar the image of border troops, after all, my children and I served there,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
“An insider, an outsider, the one close to the President – all this is idle talk. Professional or unprofessional is the only criterion to evaluate the work of border guards,” the head of state said.
Speaking about Alexander Boyechko appointed chief of the State Border Committee, Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that he is a border guard and knows the situation in the border troops from inside.
“Protection of the state border is the number one task for border guards. International relations and other matters are secondary. Belarusian border guards should not run about Europe in search of funds, it should be Europeans who should come to you and ask to protect their borders. We should prioritize our own interests. Any provocation should meet an adequate response on our part.
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