Plans to accelerate development of nationwide public security monitoring system in Belarus

The nationwide public security monitoring system has to become smarter and more sophisticated, BelTA learned from Belarusian Deputy Internal Affairs Minister, Criminal Police Chief Gennady Kazakevich.A draft decree on changing the approaches to the public security monitoring system was discussed during the government conference hosted by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 17 August.Speaking about the system’s shortcomings, Gennady Kazakevich said that video surveillance coverage needs to grow larger. “Unfortunately, it is small now, to say the least. Video surveillance cameras are primarily located in Minsk and the oblast and the Vitebsk amphitheater. We cannot say we have nationwide coverage for now,” he said.The official went on saying: “Intellectual capabilities of the system are another thing. We need effective protection of public order, public security, prevention of emergencies, and so on. The system needs to become more sophisticated and smarter in addition to being able to identify faces or vehicles. The system’s users include not only law enforcement bodies but also the Emergencies Ministry, the KGB, the Presidential Security Service, the border service, and so on.”Gennady Kazakevich stated that the system’s performance leaves much to be desired for now. The system’s development rate has been extremely low since 2017 and its functionality has been limited. “We’ve analyzed reasons behind the poor state of affairs and put together the draft presidential decree to offer a new concept for the system’s development,” he said.The state telecommunication giant Beltelecom will be in charge of designing and building communication lines, installing cameras, collecting and analyzing video streams.Gennady Kazakevich said: “The president outlined clear tasks for the sake of deeper and detailed examination of financial matters. Not only the state budget has to finance the work of the national public security monitoring system. It is an example of public private partnership we’ve been instructed to work on.”Clear understanding of what places and facilities need surveillance is another area of work on the draft decree. Classifying all the facilities into four categories depending on their importance for law enforcement has been suggested. New places and facilities will be connected to the existing system depending on their significance.Gennady Kazakevich also noted that there are also issues with ensuring cyber security. “In line with the draft presidential decree the system has to become private. It will allow minimizing the risk of cyber attacks. On the other hand, a Belarusian IT company will have to develop the software. This factor will also enhance the system’s security,” the official is convinced.Gennady Kazakevich specified that in accordance with the draft presidential decree Beltelecom will have to choose the company to develop the software via a tender. “But I can say that there are companies like that in Belarus. We don’t simply position ourselves as an IT country, we can make it happen,” the deputy internal affairs minister stressed.The official described the public security monitoring system as an extremely effective tool for public security and for fighting crimes as a whole. “The system has demonstrated it can identify faces and vehicles, which in turn allows detecting and stopping crimes. In other words, it works. It is not some Belarusian know-how. Such systems have been actively used in all the developed countries for a long period of time,” Gennady Kazakevich said.BelTA reported earlier that a draft presidential decree on changing the approaches to the public security monitoring system has been presented for consideration of the head of state. During the government conference the head of state wondered what new approaches would enhance public security and what burden the state budget would have to bear.Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed: “Keep in mind that we cannot afford spending budget funds ineffectively. The Belarusian state should be able to afford surveillance solutions. Any excessive features are out of the question and I will never allow it.”Besides, the president added that every measure should be taken to prevent the system from being hacked. “At the same time law enforcement bodies should put more efforts into stopping high-tech crimes. It is a problem of paramount importance,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Written by: belta.by