Lukashenko comments on plans to hold constitutional referendum
The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, confirmed that the constitutional referendum will be held in February 2022 as scheduled, unless some emergency arises. He told this to Dmitry Kiselyov, the General Director of Rossiya Segodnya international news agency, BelTA reports.
"We will publish it in about month. I think in two weeks. After 20th of February – we will think about how it is more convenient for us since, according to the law and the current Constitution, there are deadlines for applying for a referendum – I will put the Constitution to a referendum," the President said.
Answering the clarifying question whether the referendum will also take place in February, Aleksandr Lukashenko said, “Unless a war starts, God forbid."
"I have recently said that we will follow this schedule and will definitely hold a referendum – if you [at these words, the Head of State gestured to the side referring to external forces and their attempts to destabilise the situation inside and around Belarus – BelTA’s remark] will not force us to declare a state of emergency. This is unlikely to happen, I think. Therefore, I think that we will be able to hold it according to the schedule in February – as we planned," the Belarusian leader added.
According to the Head of State, the updated Constitution strengthens the role of the Government and Parliament, while giving a constitutional status and specifying the powers of the Belarusian People's Congress.
"The President, as today, will form the Government, will head the state. The strong Presidential power will remain," he said.
