MINSK, 11 June (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has announced the possibility of transferring the State Inspectorate for Fauna and Flora Protection to the subordination of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. He made the remark while appointing Maksim Lysenko as the new head of the ministry, BelTA has learned.
“There is a proposal to place under your authority the State Inspectorate for Fauna and Flora Protection, which currently reports directly to the president. I created this inspectorate to bring order to the country. I was very concerned about the poaching situation. Poaching was flourishing here. Since then, another problem has emerged. I can see from the information I receive, primarily from the media, that we now have such an abundance of animals that they have begun causing problems on the roads,” the head of state noted.
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that the reality is quite different from what some claim, who argue that “the inspectorate is unnecessary and is being quietly dissolved into the ministry.”
“Nothing of the sort. This is being done gradually, as we agreed, in line with the conditions that I laid down. We are making no abrupt moves. Even when we see that some consolidation might be needed somewhere. No ‘dissolution’ should take place here,” the Belarusian leader emphasized. “That is the first point. Second, we will discuss this issue further. There are many people both for and against. Some are objecting.”
The president is confident that, regardless of the decision, the inspectorate will continue to fulfill its function as it always has, irrespective of its subordination.
“There is no need for this structure to report directly to the President, because order has been established there. Yes, various incidents occur. Poaching still exists. That goes without saying. But compared to other states, including the so-called ‘flourishing’ West, we have order here and quite decent order at that. But let me stress again: wherever this inspectorate ends up, it will continue to handle its own affairs. I will not back down from that,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president stated that he is increasingly leaning toward placing the state inspectorate directly under the ministry to avoid overlapping functions. “Nothing terrible will happen if the inspectorate becomes part of the ministry. No one will suffer as a result; the functions, powers, and everything else will remain intact. They will retain broad authority,” he said confidently.
Addressing the new minister, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted: “You are the minister, and you must see everything. Not just walk around with your head down, but hold the relevant people accountable. This ministry is a ‘ministry of ministries’. For you, apart from the President and the Lord God, no one else should exist. Otherwise, we will turn Belarus into a garbage dump.”
