Chairman of Shumilina executive committee promotes legal violations

During the recent meeting at Shumilina district executive committee, its chairman U.P. Kuranny said that in order to strengthen labor discipline and prevent workers from being in a state of alcoholic intoxication in the workplace police may use any means, including those that are contrary to the law.

The statement by the high executive official, who is either ignorant in legal matters or simply a lover of loud expressions, is quoted by the local government-owned newspaper “Heroi Pracy” ("Hero of Labor"),

“Policemen here have all the powers: if you see a drunken milkmaid on the farm, send her to jail for 15 days, to the fullest extent, no more educating, no more dawdling. This category deserves categorical treatment."

The author of the article "At a meeting in the executive committee" is the editor herself, Alina Piatrova. Mrs. Piatrova reported the words of the executive committee chairman, who did not seem to even ask what punishment is actually provided by law for appearing drunk to work.

In particular, paragraph 2 of Article 17.3 of the Administrative Code states that of "being in the workplace in a state of alcoholic, narcotic or toxic intoxication" is punishable by a penalty ranging from one to ten base units. Moreover, the punishment shall be determined by the court, not the police, who were vested with "all powers" by U.P. Kuranny.

According to the activist of the campaign "Our House" Mikalai Petrushenka, the official’s statements are contrary to the laws of the Republic of Belarus. Every person has the right to a fair trial. And empowering police officers with "all powers" in this matter makes local workers completely defenseless.