President focuses on corruption in medicine
The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has been reported today by Healthcare Minister Dmitry Pinevich, Prosecutor General Andrei Shved and Chairman of the State Security Committee Ivan Tertel
The meeting focused on the fight against corruption in the sphere of medicine. With this in mind, Aleksandr Lukashenko addressed those present, “First of all, I would like to ask a question – which is somewhat philosophical and somewhat life-driven: what wars begin with? It will take me 5-7 minutes now to prove that injustice is at the heart of any war, while corruption is at the heart of injustice. I will not rant today about the fight against corruption in Belarus. This is well known to everyone. It is already a fact that we have always put up very tough barriers against this evil spreading in our country.”
The Head of State stressed that – when making certain personnel decisions – he always expects strict compliance with anti-corruption legislation from officials. The President pointed out, “In no case, after taking on a certain position, they should plunge into corruption. This is unacceptable. Nevertheless, even in such a socially important sphere as healthcare, and other spheres, we are increasingly registering persons involved into corruption-related criminal cases.”
The Chairman of the State Security Committee, Ivan Tertel, reported that 35 orthopaedic traumatologists were detained in the country some time ago on suspicion of taking bribes. Aleksandr Lukashenko commented, “I know the course of that operation very well, I controlled it. It began not today or yesterday. I warned the Healthcare Minister about this. By now, there are 35 people, and I am sure (no one will dissuade me from this) that these are not all who should be placed next to them. I want to warn those are gaining profit from people's misfortune: no quarter will be given to them.”
The President briefly outlined the criminal scheme, “They did not simply tell people who were being operated on which imported orthopaedic parts would be used in their bodies, but also received bribes from foreigners for that. As a result of house-checks, 300,000 and 650,000 Euros were found. They kept that money for pocket expenses.”
The Head of State said that Healthcare Minister Dmitry Pinevich addressed him with a question of what should be done with the persons involved in the case. He was instructed to meet with each of the suspects in a detention centre. That was done. Aleksandr Lukashenko outlined the purpose of today's meeting then, “I would like today, in presence of the chief guardian of our law – the Prosecutor General, to decide what we will do with these vile people. I know of your [Pinevich] appeal to act as surety for them – not to forgive but bail them out after they compensate for a huge damage to the state, and then to send them to a certain (of course, medical) structure to work in their specialty.”
The President also paid attention to a fact that was unpleasant for him personally, “It is sad that, roughly speaking, the President's so-called attending physician – who examined the President more than once – is among these persons. I am very saddened by this fact, but the law is the law. It is one for all.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko added that the case was not spontaneous. Proceedings were taken only when it became quite obvious that people were committing illegal actions.
