Unhealthy Situation in the Interior Ministry, Myachyslaw Hryb Says

Shunevich strikes an attitude and protects his subordinates; it causes lawlessness in law enforcement bodies.

This way experts explain statements of Minister of Internal Affairs Ihar Shunevich.

On the Belarusian television Minister of Internal Affairs Ihar Shunevich announced that independent media waged an "information war" against the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In the interview (Close-Up program) on Belarus 1 TV channel the bureaucrat stated that all colored revolutions had started with impeachment of the authorities.

Belarusian Business newspaper wonders who is the one who has declared "information war" to MIA.

Unhealthy situation occurs in the Interior Ministry.

- Ministry of Internal Affairs should take a significant share of responsibility for actions of their staff, because the society signals about facts of lawlessness in actions of law enforcement officers, Doctor of Law, Professor, former judge of the Constitutional Court Mikhail Pastukhou says. - There are cases when people die like it happened in case of Ivan Barbanski and Ihar Barbashynski who "died" in remand prison No. 1. It proves that law enforcement bodies significantly exceed their duties and use physical force which leads to tragic consequences. This permissiveness raises concerns and makes us think about adoption of measures to ensure the legality of the police actions.

- The figures provided by Shunevich about 120 criminal cases initiated against police officers are self-explanatory. The Interior Ministry faces unhealthy situation, Myachyslaw Hryb notes.

The Ministry Requires Combing

- All facts of lawlessness are subject to a thorough inspection. I guess there are grounds for some combing among officers, Mikhail Pastukhou believes.

- Any criticism should be considered a cure for lawlessness in any state structure. If to strike an attitude and stand for perpetrators, it will cause more violations. It leads to permissiveness: I can do whatever I like. All civil servants of Belarus, involving minister Shunevich sour on criticism, the head of the country can't stand the criticism. If you criticize then you're an enemy. But it is worth saying "thank you", even if the society overcolors. But your subordinates have given the ground for it, Myachyslaw Hryb says.

Three Scenarios for Minister

How should the minister act under fire?

- Every case needs special mention and restrictive measures should be applied to those who violated the law and who veiled an offender... The Interior Minister is not required to be personally responsible for misdeeds of each sergeant, there are hundreds of officials between him and his subordinates, and everyone should be responsible for his district. But everyone fears to lose his position or money and face either administrative or criminal liability, Myachyslaw Hryb notes.

- There are possible variants: to inspect all facts of lawlessness, to keep it just the way it is, to ignore the public opinion. But if such facts are confirmed, Shunevich should resign, Mikhail Pastukhou notes.