Harvest campaign marred by corruption and theft, 12 criminal cases opened

July 19, BPN. Law enforcers have opened 12 criminal cases for theft of fuel, lubricants, spare parts and money, as well as bribery, since the start of the harvest campaign in Belarus, a police official has said.

Harvest is of strategic importance for Belarus, a major agricultural producer in the region.

Law enforcers stepped up checks in the country’s agricultural sector on July 4 and have seized over three tons of stolen fuel and lubricants, said Illa Vajtovič, of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Thefts are usually committed by ordinary people, but sometimes police identify officials, he said. For example, a criminal case was opened in the Mahiloŭ region against a district executive committee official who took bribes to sign off on positive technical inspection reports.