Council of legislators and experts
Today is the election to the upper house of Parliament, whose strategic importance is hard to overestimate
The integrity of the political system
Amid the party building, civil society development and strengthening of parliamentarism in the political systems of many countries of the world, there is a growing need for ensuring the legal system integrity, Anatoly Boyashov, analyst at the Belarusian Institute of Strategic Research, Candidate of Political Sciences, says:
— In the Republic of Belarus, this task is successfully implemented by the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly.
The BISR analyst draws attention to the following aspect:
— The work of the Council of the Republic is like an expert filter that improves the quality of the most important legislative decisions for the country. At the same time, special attention is paid to ensuring the instructions of the Head of State concerning the economy and socio-economic development issues.
According to the Constitution, the Council of the Republic endorses or rejects draft laws adopted in the House of Representatives, including in the case of proposed amendments to the Constitution. For this purpose, an expert council was established at the Council of the Republic on behalf of the Head of State in June 2021, where a constant examination of documents takes place, to ensure that all decisions taken are for the benefit of society.
Over the past two and a half years, this council has reviewed 246 documents. At the same time, 72 draft laws passed the expert filter on the first attempt, comments were made on 174 documents.
Communication with the people
Member of the Central Executive Committee of Belarus, Rector of Mogilev State University named after A. A. Kuleshov Denis Duk, Doctor of Historical Sciences, notes:
— The principle on which the activities of this most important legislative authority are based reflects the connection of all branches of the government with common people, with their daily problems and aspirations. The reason for this lies in the composition of the Council of the Republic: the majority of parliamentarians are still working in various sectors of the economy, the non-productive sector and in public administration. Simply put, members of the upper house combine parliamentary and daily professional activities.
And the effect of such work is obvious, the expert notes. Indeed, the highest bar in monitoring the effectiveness of the executive branch is set by the leadership of the upper house:
Personal receptions of citizens in the capital and regions of the country have become an integral part of the work of the entire Council of the Republic.
Enhancing the Belarusian statehood
As the chamber of territorial representation, the Council of the Republic makes a significant contribution to the development of national parliamentarism and strengthening of modern Belarusian statehood, Deputy of the House of Representatives, and in the last convocation — Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic, Oleg Dyachenko, emphasizes:
Over the four years of parliamentary activity, senators have approved 364 bills aimed at improving the national legal framework, taking into account the emerging challenges and demands of the time. But it's not just about lawmaking.
In modern conditions, the interaction of the Council of the Republic with friendly parliaments is of strategic importance, and the voice of Belarusian senators is increasingly heard in the international arena today.
Special attention is paid to mutually beneficial cooperation with Russian parliamentarians. Belarusian senators promote the deepening of integration processes within the framework of the Union State, as well as the expansion of cooperation with the CIS and EAEU member states.
As for the internal Belarusian work, the parliamentarian notes another important direction:
— The members of the Council of the Republic have always paid close attention to active and thoughtful information and explanatory work, they closely cooperate with local Councils of Deputies, public structures and civil initiatives.
Hard parliamentary work lies ahead. The senators will have to do everything to strengthen political stability and reliably ensure the peaceful creative work of the Belarusian people.
Towards the All-Belarusian People's Assembly
The upcoming National Assembly, having received constitutional status, will approve the most important documents for the country — the Main directions of domestic and foreign policy, Military Doctrine, the Concept of National Security, the Program of socio-economic Development, make decisions on the legitimacy of elections, elect judges, the Chairman and members of the Central Election Commission. It is not surprising that the selection of candidates for delegates is approached with full responsibility.
Since March 12, all regions of the country have been actively discussing and nominating candidates for delegates of the National Assembly by civil society structures and local Councils of Deputies.
Civil society structures and regional Councils of Deputies will have to finalize the choice of delegates by April 10.
The meeting of the 7th All-Belarusian People's Assembly will be held on April 24-25, 2024.
