The transport industry under reliable supervision

Railway, water, and air transport have always played a significant role in the economic development of the state. This is also very characteristic of our Republic, which, being in the geographical center of Europe, is a crucial transport hub connecting transit routes for goods from the European Union countries to the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China, and other countries of the Eurasian continent.

The need for special prosecutorial supervision over the qualitative and uninterrupted functioning of the transport system arose with the increasing role of communications in the state's economy. The specifics of the transport system and, consequently, the need for special prosecutorial supervision are determined by several aspects. The most important of these is ensuring the safety and rhythm of the functioning of transport sectors, whose share in passenger and cargo transportation accounts for about 80% of the total volume of goods and passengers transported in the Republic of Belarus.

The specialization of prosecutor's offices in supervising the enforcement of laws in transport began as early as 1922. The Regulation on Prosecutorial Supervision contained requirements for military and general prosecution regarding the enforcement of laws in railway and air transport. The investigation of criminal cases concerning crimes in this sector and their prosecutorial supervision were carried out by special investigators and prosecutors seconded by the Prosecutor's Office of the BSSR. Until June 20, 1936, i.e., until the formation of the People's Commissariat of Justice of the USSR, the functions of prosecutorial supervision over the enforcement of laws in transport were carried out by territorial prosecutors. During the Great Patriotic War and after its end until 1948, supervision over legality in transport was carried out by the military prosecutor's offices of the Belarusian and Brest-Litovsk railways. The former was located in Gomel, and the latter in Baranovichi. Then the word "military" disappeared from their names.

By order of the Prosecutor General of the USSR dated September 15, 1951, the Prosecutor's Office of the Brest-Litovsk Railway was renamed the Prosecutor's Office of the Minsk Railway, with its location in

of the capital of the Republic. It included four departments: the prosecutor's offices of the Minsk, Baranovichi, Brest, and Grodno sections. From August 20, 1957, it was renamed the Belarusian Transport Prosecutor's Office, and the prosecutor's office of the Vitebsk section of the Kalinin Railway was included in its staff. In general, the Belarusian Transport Prosecutor's Office, due to the specifics and importance of the tasks assigned, was under the jurisdiction of the Prosecutor's Office of the USSR, and by order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 3, 1960, "On the abolition of transport prosecutor's offices," by order of the Prosecutor General of the USSR No. 22 of March 10, 1960, the Belarusian Transport Prosecutor's Office was liquidated, and its functions were transferred to the Prosecutor's Office of the BSSR.

However, such a reorganization did not benefit the cause. On the contrary, it led to a decrease in discipline in transport, neglect of enterprises, and as a consequence, abuse of power by officials, and a surge in criminal manifestations in transport.

As a result of a long analysis of the current situation, the Prosecutor General of the USSR issued order No. 480-l on September 3, 1976, "On the organization of transport prosecutor's offices." At the expense of the reserve of the Prosecutor's Office of the USSR, the Brest, Baranovichi, Vitebsk, Gomel, Minsk, and Mogilev transport prosecutor's offices were organized, and later also the Grodno and Orsha ones. By order of the Prosecutor General of the USSR No. 46 of November 5, 1980, the Belarusian Transport Prosecutor's Office was established.

The first Belarusian Transport Prosecutor was appointed a participant of the Great Patriotic War, the prosecutor of the Vitebsk region, Kladukhin Yu.A.

Based on the order of the prosecutor of the Belarusian SSR No. 120-k of October 8, 1976, the first Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor was appointed Domashevsky L.P. In 1976, the staff of the Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor's Office included prosecutor's assistants Efimov A.V. and Vlasenko V.A., investigator of the prosecutor's office Zhurba A.P., head of the chancellery Leshakova O.N., and courier-cleaner Fakhurdinov I.I.

Subsequently, the position of Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor was held by Semashko A.N., Alexandrov V.M., Zheribor V.V., Dubov A.V. (in

currently Deputy Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus), Maltsev A.V. (currently Head of the Department for Supervision of Legislation Enforcement and Legality of Legal Acts of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Belarus).

Currently, the Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor's Office is headed by Tsaríkov A.A. Also assisting him in supervision are two deputy prosecutors – Shchashchoka M.A. and Dyadyura P.V., senior assistant prosecutor Krzhysinsky E.M., two assistant prosecutors – Ryzhko I.A. and Kubrakov D.V., head of the office Kouneva V.V. Zemlyakov Yu.N. is responsible for the safe operation of vehicles.

Ensuring the safety and rhythmic functioning of the transport sectors remains one of the priority areas in the activities of the Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor's Office. Over 5 months of 2019, 5 inspections of legislation enforcement were carried out, resulting in 19 submissions, 4 orders, and 9 protests being issued. Following the review of prosecutorial response acts, 42 individuals were brought to disciplinary liability, 16 to administrative liability, and 6 individuals were brought to material liability.

On the eve of the Day of the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Belarus, we wish our colleagues, first and foremost, good health, love, well-being, joy, and success in their challenging prosecutorial work.

Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor
Senior Counselor of Justice
Alexander Anatolyevich Tsaríkov