Interior minister on motorbike conflict: It may be professional revenge

Minister of Internal Affairs Ihar Shunevich has commented to Euroradio on the mass confiscation of bikes in Minsk for Euroradio.

Euroradio: Can you comment on the mass confiscation of motorbikes that started after the road accident involving a biker and a driving inspector?

Shunevich: All the documents are being prepared. All the confiscations will be legal. I would like to address all bikers and motorcyclists. I am deliberatly making a distinction between them. Law-obedient citizens will never have problems with the police. It applies to this category of citizens too. We are adequate people and try to react to all situations adequately. I admit that there may be some legal professional revenge in this situation.

Euroradio: Legal revenge?

Shunevich: Yes. Legal revenge. This is simple – you have to stick to the road rules. If you think that this is a biased approach, go visit our inspector who is in emergency care struggling for his life. He is in a very serious condition.

There is no reason to introduce new road rules now, Shunevich noted. “The situation remains under control,” he said.

The road accident involving a biker and a driving inspector occurred at the crossing of Independence Avenue and Kazlou Street in Minsk on the morning of April 18. A driving inspector was seriously injured. He is still unconscious.