Lukashenko signed laws on Parliament activity

The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has signed a number of laws that amend the regulations concerning the Parliament activity taking into account the norms of the updated Constitution, the Belarusian leader’s press service reports

In particular, amendments to the law On the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus have been adopted, with one parliamentary session planned instead of two: from September to June. Moreover, extraordinary sessions will be convened not by the Head of State, but by the chairmen of the chambers. The Parliament now has rights to be reported by the Prosecutor General, the Chairmen of the State Control Committee and the National Bank, and also to take measures aimed at the development of local self-government.

It is also stipulated that the President of Belarus, after termination of the exercise of his powers, becomes a life-long member of the Council of the Republic with consent of the latter. The functions of the Chairman of the Council of the Republic will additionally include the exercise of the powers of the President in the event of a vacancy of the post of Head of State.

In addition, a number of the Parliament powers have been excluded; these are transferred to the Belarusian People's Congress, including those dealing with the election of judges of the Constitutional Court and members of the Central Election Commission, the approval of the main guidelines of domestic and foreign policy, and the military doctrine.

Aleksandr Lukashenko has also signed the law On Amendments to the Law of the Republic of Belarus On the Status of Deputy of the House of Representatives and Member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus. In order to improve the parliamentarians’ activity, the document envisages the participation of deputies of the House of Representatives, members of the Council of the Republic in the work of the Belarusian People's Congress as delegates, the possibility of the parliamentarians’ participation in the work of the collegiums of republican public administration bodies subordinate to the Government (with the right of the consultative vote). In line with the updated law, the powers of the deputies of the House of Representatives and members of the Council of the Republic will be terminated if they have foreign citizenship, as well as documents of foreign states that give them the right to benefits and other advantages (previously, it was enough to submit such documents to the personnel service).

The provisions of the law On the Status of Deputy of the House of Representatives, Member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus are brought in line with the legislation on public service, elections and the fight against corruption, Decree No. 107 as of March 16th, 2021 On Biometric Documents, as well as with the law enforcement practice.