On March 15, Belarus marks Constitution Day. Reflecting on what this day means for Belarusians and what a constitution should be, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her Advisor on Constitutional Reform and Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, share their thoughts.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today should remind us of the core principle of the state – respect for the individual, their dignity, and their rights. A constitution must protect the weak from the strong and the citizen from abuses of power. It should guarantee freedom, not be a tool of control.
Belarusians need a constitution that works in real life, not one that exists only on paper. A constitution in which the right to freedom of speech, a fair trial, and participation in the fate of the country do not depend on political circumstances. A constitution that does not allow anyone to privatize the state and turn a temporary mandate into lifelong control. One that ensures genuine separation of powers and limits the authority of those who govern”.
Anatoli Liabedzka: “In today’s Belarus, Constitution Day has become something like a holiday marked with a black mourning ribbon. It is barely discussed, and its history and meaning are rarely remembered. Yet Belarusian state and legal traditions have deep roots. The Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania served for centuries as an example of constitutional law for other European countries. They established rights, procedures, and limits on power – principles that remain the foundation of a democratic state today. However, after the 1996 referendum, the country’s basic law ceased to be a real guarantee of human rights.
The Draft Constitution of a New Belarus is a blueprint for a Belarusian home where people would want to live – a home for nine million citizens that is safe, comfortable, and just. Belarusians deserve not an imitation of people’s power, but the genuine right to choose their future.”
The Draft People’s Constitution has been submitted for public discussion. You can join the conversation and learn more on prastora.info.
