MINSK, October 18. /TASS/. Western countries pursue the goals of changing power in Belarus by using sanctions and financing protests and extremism, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday.
"The West continues interfering in the country’s internal affairs and aims to change power and, what is especially dangerous for us, to destroy the independence of our state. We must bear this in mind," the Belarusian leader said while considering personnel issues.
For this purpose, the West "engages sanctions, finances protests, extremism and terrorism," the state-run BelTA news agency quoted Lukashenko as saying.
"Militants are being picked up and trained. We both know about that and have to deal with that," the Belarusian leader said.
As Lukashenko pointed out, the situation in the republic "remains tense and gives no grounds to feel relaxed." "You know better than others that the failed attempt of a state coup [after the presidential elections held in Belarus on August 9, 2020] has not altered the adversary’s plans," Lukashenko said.
"They consider the period of holding the constitutional referendum as a possible date for a new attempt at a revolution, or Day X," the Belarusian leader said.
Subversive acts are being planned at military and economic facilities in the republic, Lukashenko said. "Foreign special services and their accomplices are studying the situation in workforces and attempting to provoke industrial strikes," he pointed out.
According to the Belarusian leader, acts of sabotage are being planned "at defense, economic and essential services."
Efficiency of special services
In this situation, Lukashenko demanded that the republic’s State Security Committee (KGB) raise the efficiency of its work and boost the potential of its intelligence service agents.
"Raising the efficiency of foreign intelligence is a substantial reserve in the Committee’s work. It is necessary to transform it into a unit capable of addressing strategic tasks, boost its activity, build up the potential of agent-based intelligence and other methods and forms you know about," the Belarusian leader stressed.
As Lukashenko pointed out, "exposing and thwarting the efforts of foreign special services to gain classified data of state bodies and enterprises" continue to be priority tasks.
The Belarusian leader also stressed that it was important to keep pace with adversaries and expand the use of modern technologies in operational activity, increase the efficiency of the KGB’s technical service, radio-electronic intelligence and develop the scientific potential.