The bill to amend the law of the Republic of Belarus “On the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus” passed the first reading at the final meeting of the eighth session of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the seventh convocation on 30 June, BelTA has learned.

The bill was drafted by the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly in accordance with paragraph 8 of the plan of measures to bring laws into line with the amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus adopted at the national referendum.

"Three criteria were at the heart of our work on the bill," said Valentin Semenyako, chairman of the Standing Commission on State Construction, Local Self-Government and Regulations of the House of Representatives. “The first was the need to update the legislative framework in connection with the referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution held on 27 February. The second criterion was the need to bring the laws on parliament in line with law enforcement practice. The last time this law was amended was in 2008. The fact that we have worked with it for 14 years suggests that it fulfilled its functions. Given the realities of today, there is a need to adjust certain points. The third criterion is that this law must be brought in line with other legislative acts, which have undergone changes in recent years.