Lukashenko tasks new head of Belarusian State Border Committee with enhancing border security

MINSK. May 30 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered that new approaches be elaborated to enhance border security and has noted that Ukraine is escalating tensions on the border.

"You can see the stance taken by Ukraine with regard to Belarus. They keep escalating tensions. The Ukrainian border has become like those crazy ones of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. In fact, no such thing should have happened," Lukashenko said, as he appointed a new head of the Belarusian State Border Committee in Minsk on Tuesday.

"We have to elaborate new approaches and, if not build a new system, then upgrade the existent one. We should also focus on mobile teams, which must exist in every unit. Wherever you decide, there must be a powerful fist, which you and commanders of units or border groups could use if necessary to close the border in case of emergency or attack on the country," Lukashenko said.

This work should be done in close contact with the Security Council and the Defense Ministry, and special border forces should also be involved, he said.

"There should always be a special unit trained and ready for action. Yet you have to understand that no additional servicemen will be sent to border forces. We have to use the forces we already have," Lukashenko said.

He also proposed considering new approaches and forms of work.

"Many of our guys have completed their service. A border guard is a border guard, this is a highly trained and moral person. So, we should not lose sight of those people, which is done, for instance, by the Interior Ministry Forces, the special unit in Maryina Gork, and the Rapid Response Forces. Those among the discharged who can should be listed, and this is thousands of people, in addition to mobilization. There must be people you will train. They will do their job in civilian life, but you will summon them a couple of times a year so that they are in good shape. These are the kind of guys we should train in the Border Forces, the Interior Ministry Forces and special army units. These are highly precious people. We have heavily invested in them, and we should not lose them," Lukashenko said.

Konstantin Molotov, former commander of the Grodno Border Group, was appointed new head of the Belarusian State Border Committee on Tuesday. The former head, Anatoly Lappo, was discharged and transferred to the reserve.

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