MINSK. June 27 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has made a number of personnel appointments, including of new ministers of foreign affairs, industry, and agriculture, as well as a new chief of the presidential office, the presidential press service said on Thursday.
"I have decided to appoint a [new] chief of the presidential office. Starting tomorrow, these functions will be performed by Dmitry Nikolayevich Krutoi [until recently the Belarusian ambassador to Russia]," the presidential press service quoted Lukashenko as saying.
Krutoi will remain in charge of implementing all agreements between Belarus and Russia, Lukashenko said.
Alexander Rogozhnik, who served as industry minister until now, has been appointed ambassador to Russia. Explaining his choice, Lukashenko said joint projects in the industrial sector play a key role in Belarusian-Russian cooperation.
Former first chief of the presidential office Maxim Ryzhenkov has been appointed Belarus's new foreign minister. His predecessor, Sergei Aleinik, has been appointed a member of the upper house of the Belarusian parliament, the Council of the Republic, where he will chair the Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs and National Security.
Alexander Yefimov has been appointed the country's new industry minister. He previously served as a deputy industry minister.
Anatoly Linevich, who previously served as first deputy chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, has been appointed the new Belarusian agriculture minister.