Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Lukashenka has signed a decree that gives law enforcement agencies access to information covered by bank secrecy and legalizes full control over Belarusians' money.
The regime can deem any banking operation “untrustworthy”. It is clear that it will not investigate purchases of food, utility payments, loan repayments, tax or union dues. But donations, transactions with foreign partners, and transfers to relatives are quite likely to be scrutinized. This gives the regime free rein to do whatever it wants with the funds in the account, the account itself, and its owner.
Banks, due to their right to secrecy, remained a small island of financial stability amidst the chaos created by the regime. That was why people kept their hard-earned money there to take care of their families, maintain their homes, and relax peacefully on vacation. The government is changing the game again, and there will be no trace of stability left.
Belarusians, please, protect yourselves and your savings: withdraw your entire salary, store your money in cash, and convert rubles into foreign currency. Unfortunately, these instructions are not new. Our grandparents used to live like this, and now we have to live like that too.
Please take care of your financial security. The regime has enormous control over your lives as it is — do not let it increase even more”.
