President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has appointed Alexander Konyuk Prosecutor General of Belarus and has relieved him of his duties as Deputy Presiding Judge of the Supreme Court, the press service of the Belarusian head of state told BelTA.

Appointing Alexander Konyuk, the head of state said: “First of all, the situation in prosecution agencies should be sorted out. As a military man you know many people that could be employed for prosecution agencies to set them in order and turn prosecution to face the problems that have to be dealt with”.

The President instructed the new Prosecutor General regarding the tasks prosecution agencies would have to accomplish taking into account the creation of the Investigation Committee. “Prosecution authorities cannot stay away from it. It is impossible to do it without the Prosecutor General. A responsible skillful organizer is required to organize things or stay in the thick of it. You must know clearly what the Investigation Committee will have to do and build it starting with personnel recruitment. The Committee will be directly accountable to the President but you should be ready to wield considerable authority due to this. Well, the Prosecutor General should be the right hand in organizing and supervising investigation efforts, particularly initially”.

“I am not saying that the Chairman of the Investigation Committee will not have any authority and independence. No way like that. He will work in line with the laws and regulations that will cover the operation of the Investigation Committee. But it is prosecution agencies that will monitor the operation. I repeat that the Prosecutor General and prosecutors on the whole are expected to make considerable efforts to shape up the Investigation Committee,” stressed the head of state.

Speaking about Grigory Vasilevich, the previous Prosecutor General, Alexander Lukashenko said that he would be transferred to another position. “Nobody should think that Grigory Vasilevich has run out of favor of the President. He is a man devoted to our country. He will stay in public service. He has considerable experience and extensive knowledge as a lawyer. I appreciate it and certainly he will not leave the team”.