Corruption Under Lukashenko is Invincible

Pavel Latushka: Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Ambassador

The dictator has been fighting corruption for 30 years but still cannot defeat it. Or maybe he doesn't want to?

After all, it's incredibly convenient to control all significant (and not-so-significant) corruption schemes, only to identify, expose, and demonstrably condemn some "major" corrupt official a few months before the next election. Then, during the inter-election period, under the guise of fighting corruption, he can deal with anyone who has become undesirable.

Why does Lukashenko’s fight against corruption lead to an increase in corruption? Because it is, in fact, increasing. In 2022, 686 people were convicted of corruption-related crimes, and in 2023 that number rose to 717.

Belarus currently operates under a paramilitary regime established through ongoing repression, where all corruption is concentrated in the hands of groups close to the dictator. Lukashenko has been leading, refining, and honing these corruption schemes for years. This is precisely why, after 30 years of "fighting" corruption, it continues to increase. So, basically, Lukashenko cannot defeat himself.

In democratic countries, civil society has the power to exercise public control over the activities of civil servants and officials. When citizens, the media, and the opposition cannot exercise this control, the elite usurp not only power but also control over all processes, including opportunities for corruption. This is the stark reality in Belarus. The Lukashenko regime has destroyed any semblance of public control within the country.

For 30 years, Belarusians have witnessed and understood that anti-corruption activities have become a tool for reprisals against the undesirable, crushing the destinies of individuals, while emboldening others with a sense of exclusivity and impunity. The entire process of fighting corruption operates not even under the slogan "Sometimes there is no time for laws," but rather "There are no laws. There is only the order of Lukashenko."

The only path to truly reducing corruption in Belarus lies in overcoming the Lukashenko regime. Only after holding fair and transparent elections, resulting in a government accountable to its citizens, can we hope to dismantle this deeply entrenched system of corruption.

---