Supreme State Council
The highest authority of the UnionState
is the Supreme State Council. The Council is made up of the Presidents, Prime
Ministers and the heads of the chambers of the Parliaments of the Republic of Belarus
and of the Russian
Federation. In addition, the Chairman of the
Council of Ministers, the Speakers of the two Parliaments and the President of
the Court of the UnionState also participate in
the meetings of the Supreme State Council.
Main Tasks of the SupremeState
Council:
- Determination of the most important issues related to the
development of the UnionState;
- Within the scope of its authority, the formation of the governing
bodies of the UnionState, including sectoral
and functional ones;
- Calling elections to the House of Representatives of the Union
Parliament;
- Approval of the budget of the UnionState
as adopted by the Union Parliament and approval of the annual reports on
its implementation;
- Approval of the international treaties of the UnionState
as ratified by the Parliament;
- Approval of the national symbols of the UnionState;
- Establishment of the location of the bodies of the UnionState;
- Hearing the annual report of the Chairman of the Council of
Ministers on the implementation of adopted decisions.
The Supreme State Council also performs other functions assigned
to its authority by the Treaty on the Creation of a UnionState
or referred to it by the member states. The Supreme State Council issues those decrees,
resolutions and directives which are within its authority. Acts of the Supreme
State Council have to be passed on a unanimous basis by the member states. An
act cannot not be deemed adopted, if one of the member states votes against it.
Voting at the meetings of the Supreme State Council is carried out in the name
of each member state by its President or his proxy.
The Chairman of the Supreme State Council is one of the
heads of the member states, elected on a rotating basis, unless otherwise
agreed. Currently the functions of the Chairman of the Supreme State Council
are being carried out by the President of the Republic
of Belarus, А.G. Lukashenko. He has held this position since 2000.
The Chairman of the SupremeState
Council:
- Arranges the work of the Supreme State Council, presides over
its meetings and signs the acts adopted by the Supreme State Council and the
laws of the UnionState;
- Presents the State of the Union address to the Parliament, indicating
the major areas for development of the Union;
- Holds international negotiations on behalf of the Supreme State
Council and signs international treaties in the name of the UnionState. He also represents the UnionState in relations with foreign
states and international organisations;
- Ensures control over the implementation of the present Treaty and
resolutions adopted by the Supreme State Council;
- Issues instructions, within his authority, to the Council of
Ministers of the UnionState;
- Performs other functions on behalf of the Supreme State Council.