Natallia Piatkevich: «If we devalue amnesty we will loose respect and discipline»

• 25.10.2007, 13:38

Vice Head of president’s administration Natallia Piatkevich says there is no need to widen the list of prisoners to be amnestied, as she said October 24 in the “chamber of representatives” at the discussion of the amnesty bill, BelaPAN reports.

“There are enough possibilities in the country to use the parole institute,” N.Piatkevich said, “I assure you that the situation with passing and exercising penalties has improved dramatically within the time that I’ve been chairing the parole commission.”

N.Piatkevich remarked, the parole institute ensures individual approach for each case.

The Vice Head of president’s administration also emphasized that she would exclude the category of women with children and pregnant women from the bill. “Last year we considered a great number of applications by women with children and by pregnant,” she said, “And we have rejected applications only in case the child would be in danger with such a mother.”

N.Piatkevich considers the decision on establishment of the institute of reimbursement for the economic damage caused to the state reasonable. “The other day the president signed a decree granting parole to 22 out of 25 applicants who have made up for the damage,” she said. According to N.Piatkevich, those were citizens who had tax debts and who made up for the tax sum and the fine.

Natallia Piatkevich said that the parole commission receives “a great number of applications from chairpersons of village councils charged with bribery.” “Chairpersons and secretaries of village councils take bribes for checks “Dwelling”. This is a tendency now in the country.”

She also stated that in Belarus, unlike other countries, amnesty is exercised rather often. “If we devalue amnesty we will loose respect and discipline,” N.Piatkevich said.