Lukashenko signs decree on transferring power to Security Council in case of his death

<p> MINSK, May 12 - PrimePress. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on 9 May signed Decree #2 “On Protection of Sovereignty and Constitutional System”, which stipulates that in the event of the President’s death as a result of an assassination attempt, an act of terrorism, external aggression or other violent actions, all state bodies and their officials shall act in accordance with the decisions of the Security Council, the meetings of which shall be chaired by the Prime Minister. The full text of the decree is posted on the president’s official web site. </p> <p>   </p> <p> The decree sets forth that a state of emergency or martial law shall be immediately declared in the territory of Belarus in the event of the president’s violent death, while decisions of the Security Council shall be binding for all and subject to unconditional implementation. The Security Council in association with the heads of Minsk City’s and regional cities’ administrations will decide on the presidential election. </p> <p>   </p> <p> The order of succession to power in the event of the president’s death of natural causes apparently remains the same. Article 89 of the Belarusian Constitution provides for the transfer of presidential powers to the prime minister if the president’s office should become vacant. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Thus, Decree #2 effectively approves an exemption from the country’s Constitution. </p> <p>   </p> <p> The Security Council of Belarus is the constitutional, supreme collegiate coordinating and political body that exercises the powers of the head of state in the field of national security. The Council is chaired directly by Lukashenko. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In March 2021 Lukashenko approved eight officials as permanent members of the Security Council: the Prime Minister (currently Roman Golovchenko), chairpersons of the both chambers of Belarus’ parliament - Council of the Republic (Natalia Kochanova) and the House of Representatives of the National Assembly (Vladimir Andreichenko); head of the presidential administration (Igor Sergeyenko), state secretary of the Security Council (Alexander Volfovich), Minister of Interior (Ivan Kubrakov) and Minister of Defence (Viktor Khrenin), chairman of the State Security Committee (Ivan Tertel). </p> <p>   </p> <p> Other members of the Security Council are the chairmen of the Supreme Court (Valentin Sukalo), State Control Committee (Vasily Gerasimov), National Bank board (Pavel Kallaur), Investigation Committee (Dmitriy Gora), Defence Industries Committee (Dmitriy Pantus), State Border Committee (Anatoliy Lappo), Prosecutor General (Andrei Shved), Minister of Foreign Affairs ( Vladimir Makey), Minister of Finance (Yury Seliverstov), Minister for Emergencies (Vladimir Vashchenko), Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defence (Viktor Gulevich). End </p>

2021-05-13

Primepress