Valery Kostka: Both Syria and Libya were stable up to a certain time

On February 14 President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko visited the meeting of the KGB board on the results of 2011 work. A number of interesting statements was announced at the meeting.

UDF.BY correspondent talked with the former KGB colonel Valery Kostka about what questions should be addressed by the Committee for State Security, why Belarusians are wise, and what is stability in reality.

- How far a practice, when the president attends such events, is normal and common in the world?

- Well, it is normal practice.

- You have already talked about the significant influence of Viktor Lukashenko to the power structures. Addressing the participants of the board, President Alexander Lukashenko said the main thing for him was "to listen and understand how the main special service of the country lives". Can this statement say the special service is now in the hands of the son rather than in the father's?

- Actually I've never mentioned the assistant for security, because he is always in the shade, and all his influence - significant - is manifested indirectly (recruitment, etc.).

Concerning, in whose hands the governance is - I don't know. But the meeting in the KGB with setting the tasks related to the elections, means a lack of confidence in the campaign. And here all the forces are being involved: reserve ones, and non-reserve, including members of the House, including special services. Although the special services don't have to participate in domestic political campaigns in any way. They can only protect the people's choice from the intervention of any external forces. And if the KGB is engaged, then an involvement of all the resources is going on, because the way of holding the campaign will affect on an image of the country and the parliament. If the elections are unfair, the parliament will be similar - useless. But if they're fair, where the mentioned arrangements are coming from, which part of the deputies should leave and which one to stay? The people must decide this! Or maybe, no one should stay there at all: this is the very same MPs who voted for the law "not to meet more than three".

- The KGB considers the main result of its work in 2011, maintaining the stability and sustainability of the country's political system. What can you say on this statement?

- Stabilities differ. Both Syria and Libya were stable. Up to a certain time, like in a tightly sealed steam boiler. But it's time to realize that stability is when people come to the square to applaud and congratulate winners, but not when they protest against election's fraud. Stability should not be provided by repressive force factor. People should be free, conscious of their actions and understand the importance of political institutions, which they establish. If people are provided with normal conditions to do this, then there's much more stability, than the one they are trying to present us. The latter is already beginning to smell slightly wrong, as in a cemetery: there everything is stable too, no one is outraged and does not protest. One shouldn't think, when there is nobody on the streets - it's stability. This is precisely not a good situation, which reminds the calm before the storm.

- But there's still no "storm" for some reason, already for the second decade. These are the words said at the meeting: "Belarusian people, despite all the efforts of "the fifth column" and their foreign sponsors demonstrated the wisdom once again". Do you think it is the wisdom, which Belarusian people demonstrated? Or maybe it's fear?

- I do not think it's fear. Belarusian people are really wise, but in a slightly different way: because it's not always make sense in the fight against the dictatorship for political power. In a democracy there are certain rules, and now - people understand that it's pointless to bang your head against the wall. Also they say it's wrong when someone writes an appeal for pardon. But that's right! Under the dictatorship there is no other way to save life! And people are writing an appeal, although they don't agree with the sentence.

We have normal people, not fearful! Remember: Kostushko, Kalinovski, resistance and guerrilla war against the fascists, etc. But the public outcry and an opposition are possible, when a certain point of culmination is reached, when the patience ends - and the regime is now just fueling this situation. It just doesn't do anything for stability, so that the people can openly and honestly choose, without having no claims to the riot police, nor to the Interior Ministry, nor to the KGB, or to the state power in general. And in the meantime we are coming to the situation where everyone understands that a lie is not the norm of life, and there are no elections. And these things live in the minds of people. Sooner or later everything will be over with the same events as wherever, when the people will start to realize that they are the primary source of power. Then they will start to change the state power, laws and the Constitution.

We are accustomed to the conditions when there are Crusaders, or the French, or the Germans - an invasion from all sides ... And now we have an invasion from the inside. Therefore, people are just waiting for the situation when the mean time will come, and they will tell their word.

- The Committee for State Security of Belarus named its top priority in 2012 to ensure the security and freedom of expression of the Belarusian citizens in the upcoming parliamentary elections, as well as protection of the constitutional system of the country ...

- But the will of the people is not the KGB's problem! The Committee should deal with its direct functions: intelligence and counterintelligence, providing economic and political security, and more. And to ensure citizens' freedom of expression should the Central Election Commission, the courts, observers, members of commissions and the citizens themselves.

And if the special services undertake this task, let they begin to change the law. Will remove all the suspicious points and obstacles to hold free elections: the early voting, non-transparent ballot boxes, the indoor and secret count of votes, lack of clarity with the protocols and their copies on sites, with counting the amount of protocols at the district site - let they will be engaged in it. And will offer Lukashenko to remove Yermoshina from the post, because she has lost the confidence of citizens. Maybe she has not lost the confidence of the authorities, but the citizens do choose. Although in our country there are some doubts about the latter ...