News & Events in Belarus

Lukashenko talks about new Constitution, presidential authority, parliament, early elections

MINSK, 9 September (BelTA) – The new Constitution will have to redistribute the authority between government bodies, yet the president will have to play a strong role. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the relevant statement in a recent interview with Russian mass media, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “Some representatives of individual political parties generally agree that it is necessary to redistribute authority between government bodies. While doing so, it is necessary to remember that Russia and Belarus (Ukraine is a good example) are Slavonic nations where a strong leader with certain authority is a must. It is what his strength is all about. But probably not the kind of authority the Belarusian president has.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked that many powers of the current presidential office are colossal. He believes it is necessary to delegate them to oblast governors and the parliament, make the parliament really work. “But on one condition: once you get the authority, you will get responsibility as well. This is why the president has to retain control over the situation in the country, oversight over branches of power. The president of Belarus does not head a single branch of power. He maintains control and guides the operation of branches of power. He should preserve it. It is his main functions. Defense and security as well. Maybe some functions regarding personnel appointments and so on as well,” the president added.

Speaking about the structure of the Belarusian parliament, Aleksandr Lukashenko said it is necessary to create genuine political parties before introducing a party system or a majority voting system. “They have not been created. We didn’t indulge in party construction because the nation had no need for parties. It has no need for them now. Some people are shouting in favor of political parties and the rest. I can assure them: if we go to polls and political parties nominate candidates or candidates are nominated via majority lists, people will vote for majority parties if people don’t know representatives of the parties because people understand that a majority party represents the nation,” Aleksandr Lukashenko is convinced. “Maybe it is time for me to take a serious look at it. Certainly before we pass a new Constitution, we will have to once again brush up the law on political parties. At least we have to decide how many members a political party has to have. Because right now everyone is talking about political parties, parties have been registered, while virtually no party has membership cards. And if a party has party cards, the number of members is low. We will have to streamline all these things and then proceed with the elections.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko is inclined towards the organization of the new presidential election after the new Constitution is passed. “I don’t rule it out. I cannot specify the dates. We have to pass the Constitution, arrange elections to municipal government agencies. If an early presidential election is needed, we probably should organize it before parliamentary elections. After all, the parliament has to stay in place until the new president is elected. Then we will use the new Constitution (it will be passed earlier) to hold the parliamentary elections,” Aleksandr Lukashenko shared his vision of the reforms.

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