On the Law Policy Concept

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has signed Decree No.196 to stipulate the Law Policy Concept.

The concept includes five chapters and determines the strategy to develop the country’s entire legal system, which has not only to regulate public relations but prevent possible challenges and threats in modern conditions.

The concept determines the notion of Belarus’ law policy, its goals, principles, and entities. According to the document, the law policy is scientifically justified activity of the state with involvement of citizens, public institutions for the sake of forming and developing all parts of the legal system.

The document stipulates national historical and cultural foundations of the legal system and tracks the evolution of the system’s development. Over the course of its history Belarus had to defend its independence, ensure security along the borders, and provide assistance to entire states and individual population groups. These processes have affected the mentality of Belarusians, which have always been known for tolerance, creativity, the rejection of aggression and outside pressure. It is important to preserve and multiply these best traits of the Belarusian nation, the document reads.

The concept reads: “Today the Republic of Belarus is a state built on the solid foundation of universal human values. It strives for peaceful coexistence, constructive dialogue, and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries and regions. The fact is reflected in the national law.”

The document stipulates ideological imperatives, which are seen as the foundation of the law policy. State sovereignty and territorial integrity are the key ones. The other ones stem from them: national security, the rule of the people, social justice, and other ones. If the constitutional system is secured, then interests of citizens are secured.

The concept also lays down priority directions of development of legislation branches. As far as the legislation on defense and national security is concerned, it will be necessary to step up the protection of informational sovereignty, develop supranational standards and rules in the field of information security with a focus on promoting national legal interests. In the spheres of civil law, economic law it will be necessary to realize the principle of corporate social responsibility before the state, the general public, and citizens. As for legislation on the social sphere, it is necessary to shift the focus of legal control from state patronage to the establishment of partnership relations between the state, the society, and the citizens. It is necessary to establish mutually beneficial cooperation and raise the responsibility of every citizen for their lives, health, and prosperity.

The law policy concept keeps the trend in favor of unification and codification. There are plans for codifying laws and regulations in the sphere of environmental protection, investment legislation, and for systematizing the legislation in the sphere of intellectual property and other ones.

In accordance with the concept lawmaking work will proceed according to the formula “strong President, influential parliament, enterprising government, with the Belarusian People’s Congress playing the connecting role.”

The concept will allow updating and guiding all the legal processes from the development of legislation to science and education.