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Belarus’s Lukashenko appoints new Prime Minister, Cabinet members

On Thursday, the head of state announced that he intends to finalize the Cabinet after the presidential elections that will take place on August 9

MINSK, June 4. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed appointment orders for the new government of the republic Thursday. Roman Golovchenko, a graduate of Russia’s MGIMO University, who previously served as the Chairman of the State Military-Industrial Committee of Belarus, has become the new Prime Minister.

New Deputy Prime Ministers

Nikolay Snopkov, who previously served as an Ambassador of Belarus to China, has been appointed as the First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus. Alexander Subbotin has become a Deputy Prime Minister; it is undisclosed whom he replaced at this position.

Who stayed

Vladimir Makey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, retained his position in the new government. Minister of Defense Viktor Khrenin and Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich also remain in their previous offices.

Government reshuffle

Yuly Seliverstov, who was previously the First Deputy Minister of Finance, has become the new head of this ministry. Pyotr Pakhomchik, who previously headed the BelAZ OJSC, has become the new Minister of Industry.

Read also

Belarus’ Lukashenko decides to dismiss government

Andrey Khmel will now chair the Ministry of Utilities, while his predecessor, Dmitry Matusevich, will now lead the State Committee on Property.

Igor Lutsky, previously a CEO of the Capital Television (CTV), has become a Minister of Information.

The former Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Military Industry Dmitry Pantus has become the new head of the agency. Ruslan Parkhamovich has been appointed as the new Minister of Architecture and Construction.

Resignations and appointments

According to Lukashenko, he has no serious complaints towards Sergey Rumas, the outgoing Prime Minister, who lead the government since 2018; according to the President, he welcomes Rumas’s wish to "turn to business." He also expressed his hope that Rumas won’t depart from Belarus after his resignation.

The President also promised to employ the officials who were granted seats in the new government.

Dmitry Krutoy, who was previously the First Deputy Prime Minister, has become the President’s Deputy Chief of Staff. His predecessor Valery Belsky will become a presidential aide on economics and banking.

Government and the presidential elections

Earlier, Lukashenko justified his decision to update the Council of Ministers by the fact that an incumbent President always appointed the new Cabinet in advance ahead of Presidential elections. On Thursday, the head of state announced that he intends to finalize the Cabinet after the presidential elections that will take place on August 9.

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