Focused on survival

The marginalisation of the civilian segment of the state apparatus at all levels of government which has been ongoing since 2020 is to the advantage of the state security sector which at present forms the main internal pillar of Lukashenka’s rule. This marginalisation has been the main trend impacting on the situation in the Belarusian ruling camp. It has become a priority for Minsk to maintain the country’s stability through the far-reaching control of citizens. The fact that politics has been dominated by the siloviks has led to an unprecedented increase in the oppressiveness of the regime, and in a decrease in the efficiency of the state apparatus as a whole. At the same time, other areas of government activity, such as the economy, society and culture, have receded into the background. Proponents of liberal or at least more flexible solutions, for their part, choose not to show any initiative, fearing the consequences. Instead, they try to adapt to the current policy of ideological indoctrination and repression and to a restrictive model of a centrally planned economy.