State border protection is vital to national security, inspiring the President to call a meeting on border control authorities’ performance, scrutinising the strength of our borders
State border protection
Alexander Lukashenko informed those gathered that border control bodies were examined recently, upon his commission. He commented, “The results of this unscheduled examination have been reported to me. It’s essential to do so, all the more because some inspection findings have seriously alerted me. Some areas of State Border Committee activities are in a deeply unsatisfactory state.”
The meeting’s main objective was not to draw conclusions, but to analyse the current state of affairs and discuss ways to enhance border service efficiency. The President clearly stressed, “It’s not about thanking or punishing. It’s about improving border authority performance. I have no doubt that it can be improved.”
The State Secretary of the Security Council, Stanislav Zas, told journalists after the meeting that the President has allocated specific tasks, both practical and of a more global nature. He explained, “The performance of servicemen operating at border checkpoints needs enhancing. Efficiency of co-operation between border officers and residents of border zones should be improved. Most importantly, the State Border Committee management should assess the agency’s priorities. This is needed for clear understanding of the threats against which they’re protecting our country. Anti-terror and economic security are today’s priorities.”
Organisational and technical capacities to fulfil the President’s commissions are in place, notes the Chairman of the State Border Committee Leonid Maltsev, telling us, “We’ve been working and will continue to work in this direction. New risks, challenges and threats should be analysed, and the entire state security system should be adjusted correspondingly. Much is being done to achieve this, such as creating the ‘Pauk’ (Spider) fast-deployable alerting complex domestically. It can recognise not only humans and animals, but aircraft and helicopters to a height of up to 1,000m. Low altitudes have always been most problematic for border protection.
Inspection of border guards will continue on an ad hoc basis, to inspire maximum efficiency.
MT reference
A new Military Doctrine has entered into force in Belarus. The document has been passed in the wake of changes in global military and political conditions, and in the nature of armed struggle and to reflect contemporary trends in the development of the Belarusian state.
By Vladimir Velikhov
