'Lukashenka Panicked Over Halavchenka's Contacts'
- 11.03.2025, 18:45
The political scientist named another version of why the dictator replaced the prime minister.
On Monday, Lukashenka replaced the country's prime minister. The government will be headed by Aliaksandr Turchyn.
Why did Lukashenka need to remove Raman Halavchenka? Why was the former prime minister demoted to head of the National Bank?
The Charter97.org website talked about this with political scientist Dzmitry Balkunets:
— I believe that in this case, nothing will change from the rearrangement of places. Turchyn said that he would not change anything. I assume that this reshuffle was decorative on the one hand (Lukashenka does not like when someone stays for a long time), on the other hand, Lukashenka is a very cowardly person.
He does not like it when someone smarter and stronger than himself is next to him. And if he also communicates a lot in Moscow with some uncles, then this is a reason for panic.
Over the past five years, Halavchenka has traveled to dozens of Russian regions, repeatedly met with Russian leaders. For Lukashenka, this can cause fear and panic. So, he decided to move him away just in case.
— Should we expect something new from Turchyn in this system?
— No. He is an ordinary official, a native of the nomenklatura family of the district scale. This is a person raised in the Lukashenka system. He did not work anywhere except Belarus. I suppose he did not travel much abroad, so his vision of the country's development is exclusively in the paradigm of Lukashism.
I do not think that he is able to jump over his head, what they say — that's what he will do. His task will be to lay papers, prepare some bills, report on "great achievements".
You should not expect any serious investors or even tourists to come to a country where repression continues. There is also no need to expect that the IT cluster will develop. After all, the country is under partial sanctions, Lukashenka is constantly freaking out with the Internet, blocking it. This all creates problems for the IT cluster.
Everything is done solely for the survival of the Lukashenka family. Halavchenka, Turchyn and other people, knowing what is happening now, simply earn their own food. I believe that this is a matter of value-based elections. These people showed themselves. They have one value choice — money. They do not think about the development of the country.
Halavchenka served Lukashenka's family for five years, turning a blind eye to the repression in the country. Even if he himself may not be involved in the repression, but he saw everything perfectly, he simply turned a blind eye to it. This is an immoral act on his part. The same applies to Turchyn. They are morally responsible for what happens.
It is impossible to think about the development of the country today, when thousands of innocent victims are in the concentration camp.
— What to expect from Halavchenka as head of the National Bank. Kallaur was considered a person who advocated a professional approach to the work of this department. Halavchenka is not a banker.
— In Belarus, there was a case when a builder became the head of the National Bank. Whenever he promised that there would be no devaluation, it happened.
I believe that Roman is a little familiar with finances. The National Bank of Belarus is not some kind of independent structure, but completely depends on the will of Lukashenka. He will — and the printing press will turn on.
I emphasize that, according to my feelings, Halavchenka was released because Lukashenka is afraid of some provocations or something else. He is afraid when people who have at least some small contacts in the Kremlin are near him. They should preferably be moved away.
As it was with Rumas, before that with Siarhei Sidorski, who was exiled to Moscow.
I think that no major changes can be expected. Lukashenka now has problems that he will try to fight.
In the near future, he has a trip to Moscow on his schedule, but he violated his oath to Putin not to participate in the "elections". The question is how his cooperative "Lake" will punish for this. This can be done quietly.
I also note that China has closed entry to Lukashenka. He is supposedly going there for the second month, but he will not get there in any way. Now he asks Donald Trump to let him in America, but no one needs Lukashenka. What can they talk to him about? The question is rhetorical.