Aleh Vouchak: Authorities want to rob migrant workers

A proposal of “dekulakisation” is aimed at Belarusians working outside the country.

Former prosecution investigator Aleh Vouchak spoke to charter97.org about a proposal by the prosecutor of the Vitebsk region to confiscate houses and cars of people who cannot explain on what money they bought them.

”I have the impression that the proposal will inspire the Belarusian authorities to check not officials, but businessmen and workers who go to Russia to work. I fear they will begin to deprive certain people of property. We already saw it in the 1930s. People will have to do a hard work to collect all necessary papers,” the lawyer is confident.

The human rights activist thinks the measure was caused by lack of funds in the county.

“Last year, Belarusian citizens working abroad returned almost one billion dollars to the country. The government seems to have become interested in this fact. They decided to earn on it. It's very unpleasant that such proposals were made by the prosecution agency. I'd like to underline that most corruption-related crimes are committed by officials and civil servants. They must account how they bought their property and if they received easy home loans in a legal way.

Everyone from the head of state to chairs and deputy chairs of district administrations should do it. I'd like to hear Lukashenka's report on how much maintenance of his administration and construction of a new residence cost taxpayers. This money had better be spent on buying new medical ventilators for the notorious Ecomedservice company or on improving the quality of health services,” Aleh Vouchak says.