KGB Chief Zajcau Dismissed by Lukashenka

Aliaksandr Lukashenka on Friday relieved Vadzim Zajcau of the position of chairman of the Committee for State Security (KGB), BelaPAN says.

The Belarusian leader made the decision following a meeting that he held with top government officials to discuss the KGB's performance, according to the government's news agency BelTA.

Lieanid Malcau, state secretary of the Security Council, said after the meeting that the prosecutor general and the chairman of the Investigative Committee had raised several questions over the KGB's activities, including those concerning the recent suicide of KGB Lieutenant Colonel Aliaksandr Kazak.

“There are also a number of other issues that require a thorough investigation,” he was quoted as saying.

Zajcau was placed “at the disposal of the KGB chairman,” Malcau said.

It is Malcau, a former defense minister, who will be acting KGB chairman for the time being, BelTA said.

“But this does not mean that Vadzim Zajcau cannot return to the position after the investigation is completed,” Malcau said. “If the investigation shows him and other officials as competent, he will be reinstated in the position without a doubt.”

He said that the investigation would be led by the prosecutor general and involve the Investigative Committee.

Vadzim Zajcau has been the head of the KGB since July 15, 2008.

Some called him a close friend of Lukashenka’s son Viktar.

It was Zajcau’s rule when first facts about torture of political prisoners in the KGB arrived: prisoners Mikhalievich, Alinievich, Kobiec told about it.

According to some prisoners, the tortures were controlled by Zajcau himself.

As it comes from the court reports, the trial over Alies Bialliacki was arranged at the times when Zajcau was the chief of the KGB.

But what can the dismissal of Zajcau mean? At the first sight, it resembles firing Shejman after the bombing on Juyl 4, 208.

Then, it became the signal to change political course and start the negotiations with the IMF.

Yet, the reasons for Zajcau’s dismissal may simply be some circumstances of a criminal investigation or simply a competition for power among law enforcement agencies.

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