Law On Political Parties and Associations Gets Amended

Source: www.charter97.org

Today amendments on some laws of Belarus on issues of political parties and other public associations have been adopted by the so-called “chamber of representatives” in the second reading.

As the first deputy Minister of Justice Aliaksandr Petrash told, ‘the draft law envisages changes that define requirements to names of non-governmental organizations, unions. These changes are determined by adoption of Decree #402 On some measures on regulating the use of words ‘academy’, on graduation, awarding academic ranks. The decree fixes the range of organizations having the right to use the word ‘academy’ in their names. Public associations do not have such a right, it could be granted to them only by the Belarusian president. A corresponding amendment has been made to the law On public associations.

According to amendments to the law on political parties the notion ‘national commission on registration and re-registration of public associations’ is deleted. This commission preliminary considered questions of registration of political parties and public associations, and then forwarded materials to Justice Ministry, where a final decision was adopted.

The commission was dissolved, and the Justice Ministry is to be responsible for all these issues. That is why norms concerning the work of this commission are cancelled form the law, Aliaksandr Petrash says.