• Because the current law on the Council of Ministers builds a “vertical” system. Today, the Government is subordinate to the President, and the Prime Minister and the composition of the Government are essentially appointed by a single person. This model does not fit well with a transition to a parliamentary republic. People elect deputies but have almost no influence on the Government through them.

• The draft proposes a different logic. The Government becomes the highest executive authority and is accountable to the Sojm (Parliament). The Sojm approves the Prime Minister, who then forms a team. Important decisions are made in open sessions, and terms of service and salaries are clearly defined. As a result, the Government is accountable to elected deputies, and through them, to every Belarusian.

• The exact number of Government members is not fixed in the draft, so the law does not need to be rewritten every time ministries are merged or created. The composition of the Government adjusts to the structure of the executive approved by Parliament, and the Prime Minister forms a team based on that structure.

• At the same time, the Government will become more compact. Unlike the current Council of Ministers, where, by presidential decision, heads of state committees and other national bodies can be included, the draft considers the Government to be the Prime Minister and ministers formed according to the approved structure. In other words, extra “layers” within the Government are removed, and responsibility becomes clearer.

• If the Government does not implement its program, it is accountable to the Sojm (Parliament). The Prime Minister and team must report at least once a year, and deputies evaluate their work based on real results.

• If confidence is lacking, the Sojm can express a vote of no confidence and simultaneously elect a new Prime Minister through a constructive vote of no confidence (meaning that with the appointment of a new Prime Minister, the old Government is considered dismissed). The old Government steps down, and the new Government assumes its mandate and responsibility. The procedure is clear and public, so the change of power depends on elected deputies, not a single individual.

• There is nothing unusual. The draft specifies that the monthly salary of the Prime Minister is 11 base salaries of a civil servant (a base salary is the standard rate for calculating public sector wages). This formula is simple, verifiable, and cannot be changed on a whim.

• For comparison, under the Draft Law on the President of the Republic of Belarus, the President’s salary is 12 base salaries, which also serves as the upper limit for all public positions. No one in the state can earn more than the head of state. This makes the compensation system transparent and understandable for both the budget and every Belarusian.

• An organic law is a law that translates constitutional norms into clear, everyday rules. The Constitution sets the framework, and the organic law gives it concrete content.

• The Draft Constitution specifies that the Sojm adopts three types of laws: constitutional, organic, and ordinary, each with its own threshold for adoption.

• An ordinary law is passed by a simple majority of those participating in the vote, but at least one-third of the constitutional composition of parliament.

• An organic law requires a majority of the full constitutional composition of the Sojm, making it harder to pass but easier to protect from situational changes.

• A constitutional law has the highest barrier: it is approved in the third reading by three-fifths of the constitutional composition, and amendments to the main sections additionally require a referendum.

• Essentially, the deeper a law interferes with the structure of power, the broader the consensus required for its adoption. This ensures the predictability and stability of the rules that affect every Belarusian.

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 Try Slany platform 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.