Lukashenka establishes research institute to tackle problems in information sphere
On February 12, Alyaksandr Lukashenka signed Decree No. 49 on the establishment of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies.
According to the press service of Lukashenka, the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies is being created “for the purpose of information and analytical support of the activities of state bodies in strategic areas of foreign and domestic policy.”
The center will study the development trends of international, socio-political and socio-economic processes, as well as risks and challenges in the information sphere.
“The Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies will develop recommendations aimed at improving state policy in various fields, will take part in the coordination of strategic planning documents developed by state bodies (doctrines, strategies, concepts),” the press service of Lukashenka said.
Aleh Makarau was appointed director of the center. Previously, he worked as Head of the Information and Analytical Department of the State Secretariat of the Security Council of Belarus.
Lukashenka spoke of the need to create an analytical structure that would deal with challenges in the information sphere at a meeting on January 31. “Our effectiveness is still weak, especially in the confrontation with all sorts of channels, pages and websites on the Internet. You see what is happening today. We are resisting weakly. But we have plenty of professionals. There simply was no appropriate body,” he said.
Lukashenka also noted that such a structure should evaluate the ratings of the media. “But it needs to be done in such a way that people, and, above all, the media, who will be subject to evaluation, trust it,” said Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
