MINSK, 15 March (BelTA) – Building the state for the people is the only possible way of applying the constitutional values, Chairman of the House of Representatives Vladimir Andreichenko said as Chairman of the Belarusian Constitutional Court Piotr Miklashevich delivered the report on the status of constitutional law in the Republic of Belarus in 2018 to the Belarusian president and the National Assembly, BelTA has learned.
The report was discussed in an extended forum. The speaker believes this is a step in the right direction. “Public discussion of all fundamental issues in the life of the country should become a rule to follow by all. State for the people is not a slogan but the only possible way of realizing the values enshrined in the Constitution. We must make every effort to ensure that our activities meet the requirements of the head of state and the expectations of citizens,” Vladimir Andreichenko noted.
“We need to develop the spirit of the Constitution, its focus on the protection of the fundamental interests of people. These include peace, work, decent wages, security for families, something without which all other things do not matter,” Vladimir Andreichenko said. He recalled that the these are the things the president talks about by pursuing a peaceful foreign policy, encouraging all government bodies to make decisions that are in step with the realities of life, the interests of citizens, and the sense of social justice inherent in the Belarusian society.
The adoption of the Constitution was an important milestone in the development of Belarusian statehood. “Having the unconditional legal value, the Constitution is the main moral reference point. Choosing a path of development, the people of Belarus clearly identified priorities: independence, peace, social justice, evolutionary change,” Vladimir Andreichenko stressed.
Rallying the society behind these core principles and their consistent implementation have enabled us to preserve the best things from the past, to restore the economy, overcome social problems and gradually increase the pace of economic growth, he added.
Over the past 25 years the provisions of the Basic Law have been further developed as part of the national legislation. Vladimir Andreichenko stressed that the instructions of the head of state and also his address to the Belarusian people and the parliament play a leading role in the process. The Constitutional Court also plays a big role in maintaining constitutional legality.
Every report of the Constitutional Court is of particular importance for the parliament. It is always carefully studied. The current report was no exception. “Its focus on determining the prospects for improving the legal framework to protect the rights and freedoms of citizens, maintaining a balance of interests between the state and society, and also developing human potential is in many ways consistent with the spirit of the discussions which are held in parliament today. In this regard, a special emphasis needs to be placed on ensuring the stability of the legislation,” said Vladimir Andreichenko. It, in turn, is closely connected with the implementation of the constitutional principle of social justice, which underpin the Belarusian statehood.
“The cooperation between MPs and the Constitutional Court should be constantly improved and acquire new forms. We need to move on, thinking how to bring to a common denominator the discussions that are taking place both in the parliament and the Constitutional Court. Here, I am talking not about certain draft laws but about the most acute issues that are of concern to the society,” the speaker said.
This kind of joint work looks very promising both in terms of implementing the activities (mentioned in the Oval Hall today) to improve the legislation and also for developing a constructive dialogue with civil society, Vladimir Andreichenko added.
