MINSK, 14 May (BelTA) - Belarus will not change the age requirements for candidates to deputies of the House of Representatives and members of the Council of the Republic, Valery Mitskevich, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives, a member of the Constitutional Commission, said at the meeting of the Constitutional Commission in Minsk on 14 May, BelTA has learned.
"We have received proposals to set the age limit for candidates at 27, 30 or 35. Today it is 21 years old. Those who stand as candidates to the Council of the Republic must be 40. Some people proposed to lower an age requirement for MPs to 18. Others suggested setting a limit age for MPs at 65, 70 or the retirement age," Valery Mitskevich said.
According to him, setting a limit age in this case would be a discriminatory measure, and lowering the minimum age to 18 is not advisable "due to the lack of political maturity and callow, unstable civil position," the commission member stressed.
“Of course, young people raise issues of age,” said Yekaterina Dulova, Rector of the Belarusian State Academy of Music, Doctor of Art, member of the Constitutional Commission. “On the one hand, we would like to see more young people today in public life. But this is about making serious decisions, which requires relevant experience and sets certain requirements for people vested with such powers. In fact it is in our Slavic tradition when young people listen and learn, but it is people with experience who make decisions.”
The rector stressed that the Constitutional Commission considers a serious set of issues related to the powers of the parliament, the president and the government. "Indeed, the country has made some historical journey and we now can compare the time when the document was adopted and was a result of a certain historical period, and the way the branches of government interact today, to see whether the adjustments are needed today," she said.
The Constitutional Commission held its fourth meeting on 14 May. The commission considered proposals to amend the constitutional provisions on the functions and powers of the parliament - the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus.
