Competence of the Council of the Republic

In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus the Council of the Republic has powers as follows: 

1. approve or reject bills on amending the Constitution adopted by the House of Representatives, on interpreting the country’s Constitution and others;
2. give consent to the appointment by the President of the country of officials as follows:
• Chairperson of the Constitutional Court,
• Chairperson and judges of the Supreme Court,
• Chairperson and judges of the Supreme Economic Court,
• Chairperson of the Central Commission on Elections and National Referendums,
• Prosecutor General,
• Chairperson and members of the Board of the National Bank;
3. elect six judges of the Constitutional Court;
4. elect six members of the Central Commission of the Republic of Belarus on Elections and National Referendums;
5. cancel decisions of local Soviets of Deputies that are at variance with the country’s legislation;
6. decide on dissolution of a local Soviet of Deputies in case it regularly or seriously violates the country’s laws and in other cases envisaged by law;
7. consider an accusation of the country’s President of committing high treason or other grave crime put forward by the House of Representatives, decide on whether to investigate the case. Should there be relevant grounds, decide on the impeachment of the President by a majority of at least two thirds of its full membership;
8. consider decrees of the President on declaring the state of emergency, martial law, complete or partial mobilization, and within a maximum of three days after the decrees have been submitted take an appropriate decision. 

The Council of the Republic may take decisions on other issues, in case it is so envisaged by the Constitution.