President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has signed the new Code of Administrative Offences and the Procedural and Enforcement Code of Administrative Offences, which were previously discussed and supported by parliamentarians.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has signed the new Code of Administrative Offences and the Procedural and Enforcement Code of Administrative Offences, which were previously discussed and supported by parliamentarians. This was reported to BELTA by the Administration of the President of Belarus.
As BELTA reported, the new Codes of Administrative Offences and Procedural and Enforcement Codes of Administrative Offences are aimed at liberalising administrative responsibility and simplifying the procedure for bringing legal entities and individuals to administrative responsibility. The main novelty of the codes is primarily their preventive and warning focus.
The legislative changes were prepared on the instructions of the President of Belarus, the novelties underwent broad public discussion, and numerous experts were involved in their development - an interdepartmental expert commission under the leadership of Olga Chupris, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, worked on them.
In June 2020, at a meeting on the draft updated codes, the head of state emphasised that prohibitions and restrictions should only remain where they are objectively necessary: if there is a risk of harm to the life and health of citizens, or the occurrence of emergencies. "There is no need to nitpick with people over trifles," the President demanded at the time.
"Measures such as a warning, an oral remark, and preventive measures for minors are being introduced. Administrative offences are being divided into three categories: administrative misdemeanours, significant and gross administrative offences. Thus, a procedure is being introduced whereby it is possible to exempt from administrative responsibility a person who has committed an administrative misdemeanour, and they will be issued a warning, which will no longer be an administrative penalty," explained Vadim Ipatov, Director of the National Centre for Legislation and Legal Research, previously.
110 currently effective norms are being excluded from the administrative code. Sanctions are being adjusted downwards in 230 offences.
Thus, administrative legislation, taking into account the established legal relations in the sphere of administrative responsibility, will meet the population's demands for the prevention and prophylaxis of administrative offenses in the first place.
It is expected that the new codes will be put into effect from March 1, 2021.