• The Statute of the Sojm is a draft law that sets clear and transparent rules for the work of the future parliament: how it is structured, how sessions and voting are conducted, how factions and committees are formed, and how legislation and parliamentary oversight are carried out.

• In Belarusian, Statute (Статут) means a collection of established rules or a law that defines the foundations of an institution’s work. The term has been known since the time of the Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania — legal codes of the 16th century. In other words, it is not just an internal regulation but an important legal act.

• That is why the rules for the future parliament’s work are called the Statute of the Sojm. It is a normative act with the force of law, not just a set of parliamentary instructions.

• Another important detail: unlike ordinary laws, which are signed by the President, the Statute itself is signed and published by the Chair of the Sojm. In other words, the rules of parliamentary activity are approved by the parliament itself — this is an internal matter, established by law, in which other branches of power cannot interfere.

• The difference is fundamental. The Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives are an internal document adopted by the House itself to describe its current procedures. They do not guarantee a high level of transparency, political competition, or balance of power, leaving room for secrecy and administrative influence.

• The Statute of the Sojm, by contrast, has the force of law. It immediately sets the rules of the game for everyone and makes the parliament accountable to society. It enshrines multi-party representation, proportional representation, openness, consideration of minority opinions, and — most importantly — detailed procedures that protect the democratic functioning of the Parliament in practice.

• The Statute also explicitly provides mechanisms for effective citizen participation, including procedures for citizens’ legislative initiatives, public discussions, submitting proposals, and even collecting electronic signatures for initiatives. As a result, the Statute safeguards your right to see and influence how decisions are made in parliament.

You can discuss the draft and propose amendments on several open platforms:

• on the website https://prastora.info

• in the SVAE mobile app (in the “Belarus Constitution Project” community)

• and on the http://tryslany.com

On each platform, you can leave a comment on a specific article or provide general feedback — anonymously or under your name. All platforms protect personal data. Proposals collected from these resources are regularly gathered and forwarded to the Working Group for consideration.