1.5. Division and interrelation of the political and the administrative system

State power in Belarus is exercised on the principle of division of powers between the legislature, executive and judiciary. State bodies within the confines of their powers, are independent: they co-operate among themselves acting on the principle of checks and balances.

The head of the state
President of the Republic of Belarus

The President holds his special place within the state mechanism and the system of power division because he is independent (elected by citizens), he does not belong to any of brunches of power and does not incur political liability before them.

Representative and legislative power in the Republic of Belarus
National Assembly - Parliament
The Parliament consists of two chambers - the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic.

Executive power in the Republic of Belarus

  • Government - the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus - the central body of state administration.
  • Presidium of the Council of Ministers
  • Ministries
  • Committees
  • State Committees

The main function of executive power is to facilitate an execution of laws, enacted by the legislative power.
The President and the Government govern the system of subordinated bodies of public administration and other bodies of executive power; assure execution of the Constitution and laws; fulfil other functions charged by the Constitution and laws.

Judicial power in the Republic of Belarus
Constitutional Court
Supreme Court
Supreme Economic Court

Judicial Power is a system of independent public courts which on behalf of the state execute justice and dispose of accrued disputes and conflicts in a way of judicial proceedings. The role of judicial power in the mechanism of powers' division is to control two others branches of power within the framework of constitution, first of all, in a way of constitutional supervision and juridical control.


In Belarus there are two levels of state governance: national and local. The local level has three sublevels: regional, basic and primary.
So, the first tier of local governance (Primary sublevel), can be considered as "municipal level", and includes villages, townships, towns of district subordination and municipal (city) districts.
The second tier (Basic sublevel), can be considered as "district level", includes administrative districts and cities of regional subordination, while the third tier (Regional sublevel) is composed of regions (oblasts) and Minsk, the capital city.
The Law "On the Administrative-territorial Division and Procedures for Resolving Issues of the Administrative-territorial Organization of the Republic of Belarus" (1998) refers to "administrative-territorial units" that have local councils, their own budget, et cetera. These include regions, districts, villages, cities and towns. Municipal districts are not distinguished as independent administrative-territorial units, as they do not elect councils or possess a budget; however, the city executive committee establishes a "local administration," whose competence is defined by the Law "On Local Government and Self- Governance" (The l aw on Local Government).
Cities of regional or district subordination and towns may have the status of either an administrative-territorial or territorial unit.
"Territorial units" represent a third category, comprised of territories operating under a special regime, such as reserves, national parks and other natural assets, or inhabited localities where subdivisions of the higher-level local government function instead of local councils or local executive and administrative bodies.
The Law "On Local Government and Self- Governance" also provides general economic and social criteria for the towns and cities of regional or district subordination.
A city of regional subordination is defined as an inhabited locality with a population greater than fifty thousand inhabitants which is also an administrative, economic and cultural center with a developed industrial and social infrastructure.
A city of district subordination is an inhabited locality with a population of over six thousand inhabitants which has industrial enterprises and a network of social, cultural and service facilities.
A town is a settlement with a population of at least two thousand people which has industrial and communal enterprises, social and cultural facilities, retail trading outlets, public catering and public service facilities.



Figure 1. Structure of the State