Single information day "The All-Belarusian People’s Assembly is a guarantor of political stability and sovereignty"

22.04.2024

On April 24-25, a meeting of the VII All-Belarusian People's Assembly, the highest representative body of democracy of the Republic of Belarus, will take place.

The All-Belarusian People's Assembly (VNA) is entrusted with the most important functions: determining the strategic directions for the development of society and the state, ensuring the inviolability of the constitutional system, continuity of generations, and civil harmony.

VNS has been carried out in Belarus since 1996. It was at the first SNC that the paradigm of the Belarusian model of socio-economic development was first formulated as a combination of the advantages of a market economy with ensuring social justice and effective social protection of citizens. At the same time, the decisions of the Supreme Council were of a recommendatory nature. The Constitution, adopted as a result of the republican referendum on February 27, 2022, secured the special constitutional status of the Supreme National Assembly. Now the decisions of the Supreme Council are binding.

The SNC includes delegates representing various social strata and groups of society. Their maximum number is 1200 people.

The delegates of the Supreme Council are:

President of the Republic of Belarus;

The President of the Republic of Belarus who has ceased to exercise his powers due to the expiration of his term in office or early in the event of his resignation;

representatives of the legislative branch: deputies of the House of Representatives, members of the Council of the Republic;

representatives of the executive branch: the Prime Minister, his deputies, other members of the Council of Ministers, chairmen of regional, Minsk city, district, city executive committees;

representatives of the judiciary: Chairman and his deputy, judges of the Constitutional Court; Chairman, his deputies and judges of the Supreme Court;

representatives of local Councils of Deputies;

representatives of civil society.

Delegates from local Councils of Deputies of each region are elected by regional Councils of Deputies; from civil society — by the highest bodies of civil society subjects from among the members.

The Supreme Council has been granted broad powers. The meeting is called upon to make decisions on the approval of the main directions of domestic and foreign policy, the program of socio-economic development of the Republic of Belarus. At the proposal of the Head of State A.G. Lukashenko, the All-Belarusian People's Assembly has the right to propose changes and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. The right of legislative initiative is exercised by the All-Belarusian People's Assembly through the submission of draft laws to the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus. In other words, the Supreme National Assembly does not replace Parliament. The All-Belarusian People's Assembly and the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus "diverge" on their legal status.

The SPC elects the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and judges of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus, the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and judges of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus, the Chairman and members of the Central Election Commission, dismisses them from office on the grounds provided for by law; approves the list of people's assessors of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus (at the proposal of the President, previously agreed upon with the Presidium of the Supreme Court). Also, the Supreme Council has the right to consider the issue of impeachment, that is, the possible removal from office of the President of the Republic of Belarus (previously the chambers of Parliament had this right) in the event of a systematic or gross violation of the Constitution or the commission of high treason or another serious crime. The prerogative of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly will be to make decisions on the legitimacy of elections, including elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus. Thus, the Supreme National Assembly will act as a guarantor of an objective assessment of the will of the people during election campaigns.

The powers of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly in the field of defense are defined. The Supreme National Assembly approves the Military Doctrine and the National Security Concept. In addition, the All-Belarusian People's Assembly has the right to introduce a state of emergency or martial law on the territory of the Republic of Belarus if there are grounds provided for by the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, and in the event of inaction of the President of the Republic of Belarus on these issues. The issue of introducing a state of emergency or martial law on the territory of the Republic of Belarus is considered by the All-Belarusian People's Assembly on the initiative of the Presidium of the Supreme National Assembly or the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus. At the proposal of the President, the Supreme Council may decide on the possibility of sending peacekeeping missions outside of Belarus to participate in ensuring collective security and activities to maintain international peace and security.

The All-Belarusian People's Assembly gives binding instructions to government bodies and officials. This significantly increases their significance and effectiveness. Thus, an additional mechanism of checks and balances has been created in the political system of our country. In the event of critical moments, the VNS will act as an "arbiter", an insurance mechanism to eliminate the possibility of paralysis of the public administration system.

At the first meeting of the VII All-Belarusian People's Assembly, delegates will elect the Chairman of the SPA, his deputies, and other members of the Presidium of the SPA (15 people). One of the main issues will be the approval of the National Security Concept and Military Doctrine — extremely relevant documents aimed at protecting the sovereignty of the Belarusian state and the formation of a multipolar world, overcoming the crisis of the European security architecture.

"A distinctive feature of the Belarusian model of statehood has always been the solidary style of interaction between all branches of government and government agencies. The absence of disagreements, petty struggles between political groups and the mood for constructive cooperation helped us defend national interests and achieve the necessary results," emphasized the President of the Republic of Belarus A.G. Lukashenko at a meeting held on March 21, 2024 with deputies of the House of Representatives and members of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly seventh convocation. Speaking about the important role of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly for society and the state, the Head of State especially noted: "With the formation of this constitutional body, the country will, in fact, enter a new historical stage of its development."

Based on materials from belta.by, pac.by