Lukashenko signs laws on Belarusian parliament's activities

MINSK, 30 December (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has signed a number of laws to adjust normative acts related to the activities of Parliament to the norms of the updated Constitution, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian head of state.

In particular, amendments were made to the law “On the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus”. Instead of two parliamentary sessions, there will be one - from September to June. Extraordinary sessions will be summoned not by the head of state but by the chairpersons of the houses. The amendments also include the rights of the Parliament to hear out reports of the prosecutor general, the chairpersons of the State Control Committee and the National Bank and to take measures to develop local self-government.

It is also stipulated that the Belarusian president, who has terminated his/her powers, shall be a member of the Council of the Republic for life, with his/her consent. The chairperson of the Council of the Republic will additionally exercise the powers of the president in case this position is vacant.

In addition, a number of powers of the Parliament have been transferred to the Belarusian People's Congress, including the election of judges of the Constitutional Court and members of the Central Election Commission, approval of the main areas 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 the MP of the House of Representatives, Member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus”. The document provides for the participation of the MPs of the House of Representatives and members of the Council of the Republic in the work of the Belarusian People's Congress as delegates and the possibility for MPs to participate in the work of the collegiums of national bodies subordinate to the government (with the right of advisory vote) in order to improve the work of MPs. According to the updated law, the powers of MPs of the House of Representatives and members of the Council of the Republic will be terminated in case they have foreign citizenship, as well as documents of foreign countries that give the right to benefits and other advantages (previously such documents had to be submitted to the personnel service).

The norms of the law “On the status of the MP of the House of Representatives, a member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus” are harmonized with the legislation on civil service, elections and combating corruption, Decree No. 107 of 16 March 2021 “On biometric documents”, and the law enforcement practice.