Regional executive authorities

As a rule, Lukashenko’s influence on the staffing policy in the regions is limited to the appointment of the regions’ heads the latter are empowered to choose their own team members. However there are some exceptions from this rule.

For instance, Head of Minsk Oblast, appointed in spring 2010 works with the team of his predecessor. The situation is the same in the Gomel Oblast: Chairman of the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee Vladimir Dvornik was appointed by Lukashenko on 29 December 2010. He is the only regional head appointed after the 2010 elections.

Reelection of Lukashenko and consequential changes in the balance of influential groups in the central government had almost no impact on the regional authorities. Moreover, in the majority of regions heads have been reappointed relatively recently – in 2008 – 2009.

Reshuffle of Grodno and Minsk Oblast heads marked in a table below is linked to the post-effects of the regional heads’ appointments on the eve of presidential elections and to a lengthy selection period of the “team” members – as a rule, this process takes a year or two.