President uses anti-corruption persecution as staffing policy

Alexander Rimashevski served as Chairman of the Soligorsk District Executive Committee for 11 years. This was quite a long term in one position for an official in the executive vertical, which is being regularly reshuffled by the president. The President often uses horizontal staff reshuffles as a substitute for competitive elections, in order to prevent the formation of stable nomenclature clans. Meanwhile, recently, there was an increase in the reports on the anti-corruption persecution of the executives and businessmen close to the nomenclature. Apparently, amid lingering economic recession, the Belarusian leadership aims to renew officials in the power vertical for additional mobilisation of the state apparatus. By applying micromanagement in personnel policy, the president prevents nomenclature groups form forming sustainable, influential and closed alliances.