Parliamentarians approved in first reading bill amending the Law On the President of the Republic of Belarus

The draft bill on amendments to the Law of the Republic of Belarus On the President of the Republic of Belarus was approved in the first reading at today’s meeting of the tenth session of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus of the seventh convocation

This bill was developed in order to bring the norms of the Law On the President of the Republic of Belarus into compliance with the amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus adopted at the nationwide referendum on February 27th, 2022, as well as with the requirements of the Law On Civil Service.

The bill was presented to the deputies by the Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus, Natalya Kochanova. Addressing the deputies, she underlined, “The draft law brought to your attention is aimed at ensuring complete regulation of the legal status of the current president, as well as establishing guarantees for the president who has ceased to exercise powers and members of his family. Taking into account the updated Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the bill contains the following key provisions. Firstly, a new electoral qualification for presidential candidates is established: a citizen of the Republic of Belarus by birth, at least 40 years of age, with the right to vote, and permanently residing in the Republic of Belarus for at least 20 years immediately before the elections, who does not have and has not previously had citizenship of a foreign state, residence permit or other document of a foreign state giving the right to benefits and advantages. Secondly, the Head of State’s competence is being clarified.

Adopted by deputies of the House of Representatives in the first reading, the bill also contains provisions aimed at optimising the Head of State’s powers, including on issues of protecting state sovereignty, national security and territorial integrity of the Republic of Belarus, ensuring the functioning of the highest judicial bodies and the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Belarus, appeals to Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus.