Natural resources minister a suspect in forgery inquiry

Andrey Kawkhuta, minister of natural resources and environmental protection, is under investigation on suspicion of forgery, Yuliya Hancharova, spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of Belarus, said on Thursday.

Mr. Kawkhuta may face charges of participating in a criminal act in the capacity of organizer and organizing forgery, according to Ms. Hancharova.

Mr. Kawkhuta has been suspended from his position but is not in custody, she added.

Some reports suggest that Mr. Kawkhuta may be among suspects in an inquiry into the operations of the Scientific and Practical Center for Geology, which he had led prior to his appointment as minister. The Belarus One television channel reported this past March that officials at the center had stolen more than a million rubels in public funds.

The money was reportedly provided by the government for prospecting projects that were never carried out. “In order not to disrupt plans on paper some top officials at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection forced their subordinates to forge documents,” said the TV channel.

Mr. Kawkhuta, who was born in 1960, was appointed minister in June 2015.