Soon Belarus will submit to a referendum the updated Basic Law of the country. Since the end of December, there has been a public discussion of the project. More than 7,000 proposals from citizens were received. Taking them into account, 83 articles of the current Constitution were changed, 11 new ones appeared, and one new chapter is proposed. We asked Svetlana Lyubetskaya, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus on Legislation, a member of the Constitutional Commission, to comment on the most significant innovations.

Article 15. The state ensures the preservation of historical truth and the memory of the heroic deed of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War.

- We can say that this short story, which carries both a historical and an ideological emphasis, appeared naturally. The reason was the processes that we could not even foresee before: attempts to overestimate historical facts, to belittle the role of the feat of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War. In order to be consistent and honest and to preserve the memory of the heroic past of the older generation, such an addition to the Constitution is proposed.

Article 18. The Republic of Belarus excludes military aggression from its territory against other states.

- Belarus is a peace-loving state. Our people support the resolution of any disputes or disagreements exclusively peacefully, through discussions, with the help of various interstate and diplomatic mechanisms. Today, in the context of increasing aggression on the world stage, Belarus, in contrast, declares that it is positioning itself as a state that is not going to initiate aggressive actions against other states, guided by any of its own interests.

Article 21. Everyone must show social responsibility, make a feasible contribution to the development of society and the state.

- This short story caused quite an active discussion at various venues. There are different understandings of it. Meanwhile, it is obvious that it is intended to designate the social responsibility of everyone for the further development of society: from mutual respect and observance of the rules of conduct in public places to the timely payment of taxes. The novel is at the intersection of ideological and legal approaches. In a broad sense, this norm tells us about the collective responsibility for the society in which we will live tomorrow.

Article 32.Marriage as a union of a woman and a man, family, motherhood, fatherhood and childhood are under the protection of the state. Parents or persons replacing them have the right and duty to raise children, take care of their health, development and education, prepare them for socially useful work, instill culture and respect for the laws, historical and national traditions of Belarus. The state provides support to families with children, orphans and children left without parental care.

As for the definition of marriage, there were different approaches

- This norm included a variety of messages that relate to the rights and obligations of parents. It is also aimed at eliminating manifestations of social dependency, preparing children for the future life as hardworking citizens responsible for their lives, who, in turn, should think about how they will provide for themselves in the future. This is a reflection of the traditions of the hardworking Belarusian nation, only at the constitutional level. As for the definition of marriage, there were different ideological approaches. In particular, it was proposed to consolidate the concept that this is the union of a man and a woman by birth. But as a result of the analysis and consultations, including with doctors, the Constitutional Commission came up with precisely such a formulation that does not limit the social realization of all citizens without exception.

Chapter 31.The All-Belarusian National Assembly

- For our political system, the appearance of this chapter in the Constitution means the formalization of the existing institution. In the Basic Law, it is positioned as the highest representative body of democracy. It includes not only representatives of the legislative branch, that is, persons who have already been elected by the people, but also representatives of other branches of power (executive, judicial) and, very importantly, representatives of civil society. This is the meaning of his supreme representation. It will be a collegiate body authorized to make certain decisions. In more detail, the procedure for its formation and activities will be prescribed in a special law.

Article 54. The manifestation of patriotism, the preservation of the historical memory of the heroic past of the Belarusian people are the duty of every citizen of the Republic of Belarus.- This norm is designed to ensure the formation of values ​​that are based on devotion to one's Fatherland. Today this is important, because the issues of the sovereignty of the state, its security have become at the forefront not only in our country, but also in the international arena. Following the laws, caring for your homeland, which is represented by your loved ones, colleagues, friends, hometown, the country as a whole - this is all patriotism. Therefore, the state, creating conditions for the normal functioning of society, has the right to count on the fact that it will be supported by a single citizen.

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