Bill on people's militia passes first reading in Belarus

MINSK, 31 May (BelTA) – The bill “On people's militia” passed the first reading at the meeting of the ninth session of the House of Representatives of the seventh convocation, BelTA has learned.

The bill was prepared by the Defense Ministry, approved by the Security Council's Resolution No. 2 on 6 March 2023 and submitted to the House of Representatives after revision by the Council of Ministers on 23 May. The document lays out legal grounds for Belarus' citizens, foreign nationals and stateless persons permanently residing in the country to voluntarily participate in ensuring the observance of martial law in Belarus.

In particular, the bill defines the terms “people's militia”, “people's militia unit” and “people's militia volunteer”. It regulates general issues related to financial and material support for people's militia, restrictions on serving in people's militia, as well as the way people's militia units should be run. It also sets forth procedures related to formation, recruitment and deployment of people's militia units, their tasks, the powers of government agencies and officials in regulating activities of people's militia.

The Council of Ministers shall determine the scope of measures to create people's militia in peacetime by local executive and administrative bodies, the procedure for the formation (disbandment) of people's militia, recruitment and keeping records of volunteers, their joining and leaving of people's militia. The bill establishes the rights and responsibilities, legal and social security guarantees for volunteers.