{"id":11457,"date":"2022-08-06T17:44:40","date_gmt":"2022-08-06T14:44:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/lukasenka-has-not-shared-a-bit-of-his-power-with-anyone-despite-turbulence\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"lukasenka-has-not-shared-a-bit-of-his-power-with-anyone-despite-turbulence","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11457\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka has not shared a bit of his power with anyone despite turbulence"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n By Valeryj Karbalevi\u010d<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t * Reproduction prohibited\n<\/p>\n

\n Two years since the outbreak of major unrest, the Belarusian ruler has managed to hold on to his power.<\/b>\n<\/p>\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka restores control without sharing power<\/span><\/h2>\n

\n\t During the 2020 post-election protests and after it became clear that Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka was taking the upper hand, many observers speculated how his regime might change afterwards. Many expected a power shift toward the security forces, which stood by him during the turbulent period.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Some observers speculated that the regime might evolve from personalism to oligarchy. But the Belarusian strongman managed to prevent any change.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t He relied heavily on his security apparatus to suppress public protests. He managed to do so without sharing a bit of his power with anyone, including his opponents, bureaucrats and security forces. He preserved the personalistic regime.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t His government as a whole has become more detached from the people. It has deprived people of most of their rights. That was the price the Belarusian ruler paid to bureaucracy for supporting him throughout the difficult months of 2020.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t But neither bureaucrats and nor security forces have become an independent political player. Both remain \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s toys. Nothing has changed in the country in this respect.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka employed terror to keep himself in power. His security agencies acted especially ruthlessly to punish former officials who strayed from absolute fealty. Officials often face harsher punishment than ordinary opposition figures.\n<\/p>\n

Arrest of high-profile official, banker<\/span><\/h2>\n

\n\t Media reported two high-profile cases earlier this week.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Law enforcement officers detained Vasil Markievi\u010d, CEO of a major poultry farm and a member of the Council of the Republic, the upper house of the Belarusian National Assembly.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t In a separate development, the Minsk City Court sentenced Siarhiej Ka\u015bciu\u010denka, chairman of the board at Priorbank, to three and a half years in prison on charges of tax evasion. Priorbank is one of the oldest commercial banks in Belarus and is a part of the Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank International that holds an 87-percent stake in it. \n<\/p>\n

\n\t The sentence is yet another attempt by \u0141uka\u0161enka to cultivate obedience among officials and business people. If Ka\u015bciu\u010denka, with his reputation and international connections, could not get away with something, others will certainly get caught.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Ka\u015bciu\u010denka case is also an attack on a Western business, a sort of countermeasures. Prime Minister Raman Ha\u0142o\u016d\u010danka had warned that Belarus would retaliate against European companies with investments in Belarus if the European Union tightened sanctions.\n<\/p>\n

Security forces have more power, not at \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s expense<\/span><\/h2>\n

\n\t Security forces have been playing a greater role in Belarus\u2019 political system, influencing decisions in many areas from the economy to foreign policy. Security officials have been appointed to leading positions at civil establishments.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The new Constitution authorizes the Security Council, formed of top generals, to govern the country in the event of \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s death.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The security agencies have been given more powers at the expenses of other agencies such as the economy, education and foreign ministries, not at the expense of the head of state.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Belarusian ruler remains in control of his security apparatus. At the beginning of public protests against his re-election, \u0141uka\u0161enka reshuffled most security agencies.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Some officials might have lost their jobs because they were seeking to play a greater role in decision-making.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Earlier this week, the Belarusian ruler sacked Uladzimir Ar\u010daka\u016d, deputy state secretary of the Security Council who supervised the Committee for State Security (KGB).\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Opposition media reported that the law enforcement, security and defense agencies have ordered personnel to hand in their passports to prevent officers from traveling abroad without permission.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Paradoxically, security officials are even more deprived than ordinary people who still can travel abroad.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Valeryj Karbalevi\u010d * Reproduction prohibited Two years since the outbreak of major unrest, the Belarusian ruler has managed to hold on to his power. \u0141uka\u0161enka restores control without sharing power During the 2020 post-election protests and after it became clear that Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka was taking the upper hand, many observers speculated how his regime […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[22],"class_list":["post-11457","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u0141uka\u0161enka has not shared a bit of his power with anyone despite turbulence | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Valeryj Karbalevi\u010d * Reproduction prohibited Two years since the outbreak of major unrest, the Belarusian ruler has managed to hold on to his power.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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