Acts of the Constitutional Court
DECISION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS
10 December 2019 № D-1206/2019
On the Conformity of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Amending the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus comprising the Presiding Officer – Chairman P.P. Miklashevich, judges T.S.  Boiko, T.V. Voronovich, S.Y. Danilyuk, L.G. Kozyreva, V.N. Ryabtsev, L.M. Ryabtsev O.G. Sergeeva, A.G. Tikovenko, S.P. Chigrinov

on the basis of Article 116.1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, Article 22.3.2 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Judicial System and Status of Judges, Article 98 and Article 101.1 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Constitutional Proceedings”

in open court session in the exercise of obligatory preliminary review considered the constitutionality of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Amending the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus”.

Having heard the reporting judge S.P. Chigrinov, having analysed the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter – the Constitution), the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Amending the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” and other legislative acts of the Republic of Belarus, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus found the following.

The Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Amending the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” (hereinafter – the Law) was adopted by the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus on 27 November 2019, approved by the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus on 3 December 2019 and submitted for signing to the President of the Republic of Belarus.

The Law was adopted with a view to improve the legal regulation of public relations in the field of entry, exit, stay of the foreign national and stateless persons (hereinafter – foreigners) in the Republic of Belarus, and to promote the efficiency of the migration flow in the interests of the state and society, as well as to counter illegal migration. 

  1. Within its powers of obligatory preliminary review, in view of the need to ensure the supremacy of the Constitution and direct effect of constitutional rules, the Constitutional Court examines the constitutionality of the Law and proceeds from the provisions of the Constitution:

declaring the Republic of Belarus to be a social state based on the rule of law, where the individual, his rights, freedoms and guarantees to secure them are the supreme value and goal of the society and the State (Article 1.1; Article 2.1);

stipulating that the Republic of Belarus exercises supreme control and absolute authority over its whole territory (Article 1.2);

obliging the State to safeguard lawfulness and law and order (Article 1.3);

establishing that the Republic of Belarus shall be bound by the principle of supremacy of law, under which all the state bodies and officials thereof shall operate within the confines of the Constitution and acts of legislation adopted in accordance therewith (Article 7.1; Article 7.2);

defining that the Republic of Belarus shall recognise the supremacy of the generally recognised principles of international law and shall ensure the compliance of laws therewith (Article 8.1);

providing that foreign nationals and stateless persons in the territory of Belarus shall enjoy the rights and freedoms and execute duties on equal terms with citizens of the Republic of Belarus, unless otherwise specified by the Constitution, laws and treaties (Article 11);

obliging state bodies, officials and other persons who have been entrusted to exercise state functions to take necessary measures, within their competence, to implement and protect personal rights and freedoms (Article 59.2).

Guided by article 54.1 of the Law on the Constitutional Proceedings the Constitutional Court reviews the constitutionality of the Law and determines whether the contents of the Law provisions, its form, delineation of competencies between state bodies and the procedure for adoption are conforming to the Constitution, international legal instruments, ratified by the Republic of Belarus. 

  1. The Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” is amended by the Law (article 1) providing for new grounds to grant foreigners a residence permit in the Republic of Belarus; a longer stay of foreigners in the Republic of Belarus without registration; delimitation of powers of state bodies to decide on lengthening and shortening of the temporary stay, on granting permits for permanent residence in the Republic of Belarus, refusing to register; clarification of previously provided terms and their definitions, as well as the provision of new ones. 

While assessing the constitutionality of these legislative provisions, the Constitutional Court proceeds from the following.

In accordance with the Constitution citizens of the Republic of Belarus shall have the right to move freely and choose their place of residence within the Republic of Belarus, to leave it and to return thereto without hindrance (Article 30). Everyone’s right to be free to leave any country, including his own, is also stipulated in the Article 12.2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Migration of people leaving their countries is not only legally acceptable, but also socially justified, as it promotes cross-cultural enrichment, exchange of ideas and advanced scientific and technological experience, expansion of educational opportunities, solution of demographic problems, effective redeployment of labour and more intense economic co-operation.

While carrying out migration control the state may envisage restrictions of the foreigners’ rights and freedoms in the constitutionally significant interests provided for in Article 23 of the Constitution: national security, public order, protection of the morals and health of the population as well as rights and freedoms of other persons. Similar grounds for restricting the foreigners’ rights and freedoms are envisaged in Article 12.3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Thus, taking into account the sovereign right of the state to exercise migration control within its territory, the legislator is empowered to issue laws on the foreigners’ status (articles 11, 97.1.2, 98.1.1 of the Constitution), determine their legal standing in the Republic of Belarus in the light of the constitutional principles, rules, values and goals, as well as with consideration to the generally recognised principles and rules of international law. 

  1. Article 1.1 of the Law clarifies the definitions of certain terms used in the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus”, such as “close relatives”, “foreigner temporarily staying in the Republic of Belarus”, “migration control” , “authorities registering foreigners temporarily staying in the Republic of Belarus”, “temporary residence permit”, “permanent residence permit”, as well as provides for a new term “family members of a foreigner” and its definition.

As prescribed in the Constitution, the Republic of Belarus shall be bound by the principle of supremacy of law; the State and all the bodies and officials thereof shall operate within the confines of the Constitution and acts of legislation adopted in accordance therewith (Article 7.1; Article 7.2).

As set out in the Constitutional Court decisions, the rule of law includes a number of elements, and specifically legal certainty implying clarity, accuracy, coherence and logical consistency of legal rules; conditions for uniform and predictable law-enforcement are created by observing the principle of legal certainty in rule-making, thereby increasing citizens’ confidence in the state.

The Constitutional Court considers that clarification and provision of the specified terminology in the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” arises from the need to ensure clarity and coherence of legal regulation, unambiguous understanding of the Law rules and to avoid their differing interpretations in law-enforcement, thereby complying with the principle of legal certainty as an essential component of the constitutional principle of the rule of law. 

  1. The Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” is added article 31 “Effect of international law rules in the field of the legal status of foreigners in the Republic of Belarus”. It is envisaged in this article that the Republic of Belarus shall recognise the supremacy of the generally recognised principles of international law and shall ensure the compliance therewith of the legislation of the Republic of Belarus on the legal status of foreigners in the Republic of Belarus (paragraph 1); where a treaty of the Republic of Belarus establishes other rules than provided for in the Law, the rules of the treaty shall apply (paragraph 2).

This legislative regulation is in line with Article 8.1 of the Constitution, according to which the Republic of Belarus shall recognise the supremacy of the generally recognised principles of international law and shall ensure the compliance of laws therewith. It is also based on a generally recognised principle of international law “treaties must be performed” (pacta sunt servanda), as it is stipulated in article 26 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of May 23, 1969 (hereinafter – the Vienna Convention), according to which every treaty in force is binding upon the parties to it and must be performed by them in good faith.

Herewith the Constitutional Court restates its legal position set out in the decision of May 7, 2018 “On the Conformity of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Making Alterations and Addenda to the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Treaties of the Republic of Belarus” to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus”. The point is that the treaties of the Republic of Belarus, along with acts of domestic legislation – laws of the Republic of Belarus, decrees and edicts of the President of the Republic of Belarus, by-laws and normative legal acts, are included in the system of legal regulation in force in the Republic of Belarus, that is, the treaties rules are an integral part of established law. 

  1. Article 14 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” is amended by the Law (article 1.7) in a way that foreigners of Belarusian nationality permanently residing in the territory of foreign states along with those who permanently reside in the Republic of Belarus shall be granted the right to education equal to the right of the citizens of the Republic of Belarus.

In accordance with the Constitution the State shall bear responsibility for preserving the historic, cultural and spiritual heritage (Article 15); everyone shall have the right to education (Article 49.1).

The Article 2.5 of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, adopted by the UN General Assembly Resolution of December 18, 1992 No. 47/135, also provides for the right of persons belonging to minorities to establish and maintain, without any discrimination, free and peaceful contacts across frontiers with citizens of other States to whom they are related by national or ethnic, religious or linguistic ties.

According to the Constitutional Court, the above mentioned articles 15 and 49 of the Constitution, in conjunction with the provisions of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, impose a certain obligation of the Republic of Belarus as a country of ethnic origin of Belarusians who are a national minority in foreign states. So, the Republic of Belarus should facilitate contacts with compatriots residing abroad, including those related to education. Access to education equal to the right in question of the citizens of the Republic of Belarus, granted for foreigners of Belarusian nationality permanently residing in the territory of foreign states, also meets the general legal principles of justice, equality and humanism. 

  1. The Law (article 1.8) amends article 17 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus”. According to the amendments state bodies shall inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus about death or an accident and other life-threatening conditions of a foreigner, no later than one day after receiving information about such conditions, for the purpose of further notification of a diplomatic mission or consular office of the State of the citizenship or habitual residence of the foreigner.

The provisions of treaties concluded by the Republic of Belarus with a number of foreign states (the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ukraine, the Republic of Poland, Romania and some others) also provide for certain periods for notifying a diplomatic mission or consular office of the State of the citizenship or habitual residence of the foreigner about different conditions constituting life-threatening situation to him (her).

Thus, article 15 of the Consular Convention between the Republic of Belarus and Ukraine, concluded on January 20, 2009, establishes that in the event of the death of a national of the sending state in the receiving state, the competent authorities of the receiving state shall inform on the matter the consular office in the shortest possible time. According to the Consular Convention between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Poland, concluded on March 2, 1992, the relevant authorities of the receiving state shall inform the consular office in the shortest possible time about the death of a national of the sending state (article 34); the relevant authorities of the receiving state shall promptly inform the relevant consular office of the sending state of accidents and other serious cases to which the nationals of the sending state have fallen victim (article 38.4).

According to the Constitutional Court, setting in the Law of a period during which state bodies shall inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus about death or an accident and other life-threatening conditions of a foreigner (no later than one day after receiving relevant information) for the purpose of further notification of a diplomatic mission or consular office of the State of the citizenship or habitual residence of the foreigner, indicates that the provisions of the treaties of the Republic of Belarus have been defined in the Law, with a view to perform the treaties in good faith, that is corresponding to the principle of legal certainty, which is an integral element of the principle of the supremacy of law (rule of law) established in the Constitution (Article 7.1), to the constitutional rules on the recognition by the Republic of Belarus of the supremacy of generally recognised principles of international law and ensuring compliance of laws therewith (Article 8.1), as well as to the generally recognised principle enshrined in the Vienna Convention “treaties must be performed” (article 26). 

  1. Article 32 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” is restated by the Law (article 1.14) in a new wording. It envisages that the List of persons whose entry into the Republic of Belarus is prohibited or undesirable shall provide information about foreigners, whose right to enter the Republic of Belarus has been restricted on the grounds set by this Law, as well as information on the grounds for their listing, and about the state bodies of the Republic of Belarus that have adopted the relevant decisions, and about the time-limits of the prohibition to enter the Republic of Belarus for such foreigners (article 32.1).

Article 1.19 of the Law provides for similar requirements to maintain the List of persons whose right to leave the Republic of Belarus is temporarily restricted (articles 35.1; 35.4; 35.5 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” in a new wording).

Article 30.2.3 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” envisages that the inclusion of a foreigner in the List of persons, whose entry into the Republic of Belarus is prohibited or undesirable, shall be a ground for the foreigner to be refused either an entry visa or an entry into the Republic of Belarus. Article 1.12 of the Law adds a provision according to which a foreigner shall not be so listed unless there is objective and sufficient belief that the foreigner’s acts may damage heavily the legally protected interests of the Republic of Belarus.

The Constitutional Court considers that listing of persons whose right to leave the Republic of Belarus is temporarily restricted is not fully consistent with everyone’s right to leave any country, as provided for in Article 12.2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However maintaining of the List does not impair the essence of the right to free movement since it is temporary and serves a necessary measure to ensure the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens of the Republic of Belarus and others persons and is thus a lawful derogation from it according to Article 23.1 of the Constitution in conjunction with Article 12.3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The Constitutional Court considers that maintaining of the List of persons, whose entry into the Republic of Belarus is prohibited or undesirable, is a reasonable restriction on the foreigners’ rights since, on the one hand, the legislator provides for listing only if there is objective and sufficient belief that the foreigner’s acts may damage heavily the legally protected interests and, on the other hand, such listing is a necessary measure to safeguard proper law and order which, according to Article 1.3 of the Constitution, is the obligation of the State. It also aims to ensure legitimate interests provided for in Article 23.1 of the Constitution and Article 12.3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

  1. The Law (article 1.15) amends article 33 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus”, which provides for grounds on which a decision on the temporary restriction of a foreigner’s right to leave the Republic of Belarus may be based. It is determined, in particular, that the foreigner’s right to leave the Republic of Belarus may be temporarily restricted if he is brought a lawsuit against under civil, criminal or economic law and not just a civil lawsuit, as was previously established.

Thus, the legislator executed the decision of the Constitutional Court of November 17, 2011 “On the conformity of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Making Alterations and Addenda to Some Laws of the Republic of Belarus on Issues of Exit from the Republic of Belarus and Entry into the Republic of Belarus” to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus” and thereby eliminated the legal uncertainty. In the said decision the Constitutional Court pointed to legal uncertainty of the provisions of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus”, which provided for a civil lawsuit in court against a foreigner as a basis for temporary restriction of his right to leave, since the expression “civil lawsuit” was used in legislation in relation to criminal proceedings (article 148 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Belarus) and was not applied to lawsuits filed under civil or economic law (articles 47, 48, 50 of the Civil Procedure Code of the Republic of Belarus, chapter 9 of the Economic Procedure Code of the Republic of Belarus).

In this regard the Constitutional Court indicated in its decision that in law-enforcement in order to implement the individuals’ right to leave the Republic of Belarus or enter into it the expression “civil lawsuit” should be understood as a lawsuit brought under civil, economic and criminal law. With this approach it is possible to ensure the participants’ rights not only in criminal, but also in civil and economic proceedings.

The Constitutional Court considers that the clarification by the Law of the grounds for restricting the foreigners’ right to leave the Republic of Belarus is aimed at ensuring clarity and consistency of legal regulation, an unambiguous understanding of the provisions of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” and the development of a uniform law-enforcement. This meets the principle of legal certainty as the most important component of the rule of law envisaged by Article 7.1 of the Constitution. 

  1. The new wording of article 62.1 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” stipulates that in order to ensure national security of the Republic of Belarus, regulate migration flows, safeguard the rights and freedoms of citizens of the Republic of Belarus and foreigners, as well as counteract illegal migration the internal affairs bodies in cooperation with state security agencies, border guard service, customs authorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Belarus shall carry out migration control (article 1.41 of the Law).

Article 1 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” is supplemented by the term “migration control”, which means control of the lawfulness of entry into the Republic of Belarus, stay in the Republic of Belarus, departure from the Republic of Belarus and transit (transit) through the territory of the Republic of Belarus of foreigners (article 1.1 of the Law).

According to the Constitutional Court, the amendments introduced by the Law are aimed at enhancing the efficiency of state bodies controlling migration in the Republic of Belarus and optimising measures to regulate migration flows, ensuring the safety of individuals, society and the state, creating further conditions for the development of tourism, business cooperation and intercultural exchange, as well as at increasing state guarantees for the exercise of the rights and freedoms of citizens of the Republic of Belarus and foreigners. The established legal regulation is consistent with the constitutional obligation of state bodies, officials and other persons, in the exercise of state functions within their competence, to take necessary measures to implement and protect personal rights and freedoms (Article 59.2 of the Constitution).

The above rules of the Law also correspond to the provisions of the Model Law “On Migration” adopted by the Resolution of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States of November 27, 2015 as to the term “migration control” and its definition. Article 1.2 of the said Model Law provides that its provisions may be used as a model in the development of national normative legal acts on internal and cross-border movements of individuals.

Thus, the improvement by the Law of the legal mechanisms, through which the national migration control system operates, by enhancing coordination of efforts of the relevant state bodies of the CIS member states to control migration flows and implement international agreements in the field of migration within the CIS, meets Article 59.1 of the Constitution, which establishes the obligation of the State to take all measures at its disposal to establish the domestic and international order necessary for the full exercise of the rights and freedoms of the citizens of the Republic of Belarus that are specified by the Constitution. 

  1. The Law amends articles 67 and 672 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” with regard to the conditions of detention of foreigners prior to their expulsion or removal to a foreign state under the readmission treaties of the Republic of Belarus. Paragraphs 42 and 43 of article 1 of the Law stipulate that such foreigners are placed for the required period either in a temporary detention centre for foreigners, an administrative detention centre or a temporary detention centre.

Article 65.1 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” also provides that a foreigner may be expelled from the Republic of Belarus in the interests of national security of the Republic of Belarus, public order, protection of morality, public health, rights and freedoms of the citizens of the Republic of Belarus and other persons, as well as after being released from a house of detention or a correctional institution unless he may face deportation.

The Constitutional Court considers that the detention of foreigners in the said premises, prior to their expulsion or removal to a foreign state in readmission, does not violate the foreigners’ rights, since they are placed in the centres in question with a view to enforcing their expulsion that serves the constitutionally significant interests of national security, public order, protection of the morals and health of the population as well as rights and freedoms of other persons (Article 23 of the Constitution), and it also promotes the implementation of the treaties of the Republic of Belarus.

The Constitutional Court also notes that special provisions on detention of foreigners may also be determined by the rules of bilateral treaties. For example, consular conventions of the Republic of Belarus with foreign states entitle a foreigner under arrest or otherwise detained to be immediately notified of the right to be visited by a consular officer and oblige competent authorities of the state of residence to arrange the visit (article 12 of the Consular Convention between the Republic of Belarus and the People's Republic of China of January 11, 1993); to immediately transmit a foreigner’s message to a consular post (article 39 of the Consular Convention between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation of January 24, 1995); they provide for meetings and relations with a consular officer, and also for his legal assistance (article 13 of the Consular Convention between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan of January 17, 1996).

The Constitutional Court draws attention of the law-enforcement bodies to that the detention of foreigners in detention centres, prior to their expulsion or removal to a foreign state under the readmission treaties of the Republic of Belarus, should be guided not only by national legislation of the Republic of Belarus, but also by its treaties, since the treaties are included in the system of legal regulation in force in the Republic of Belarus, and because of the priority of international rules over the provisions of the Law, as set out in the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus”. 

  1. The Law (article 1.47) improves the legal regulation of appeals by the foreigners and their representatives against administrative and other decisions, actions (inaction) of state bodies of the Republic of Belarus. Thus, according to article 72 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” in a new wording, the time-limits for considering appeals against decisions to expel are reduced from 1 month to 10 working days from the date of receipt (paragraph 6); paragraph 7 provides for the right of the body considering the appeal to restore the time-limits for its filing if they are exceeded for valid reasons. Beyond that the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” is supplemented by article 721, which defines the procedure for notification of the decision on the appeal and its coming into force (article 1.48 of the Law).

In the opinion of the Constitutional Court, the said legislative regulation is aimed at more efficient and full implementation of the foreigners’ right, provided for in Article 40 of the Constitution, to address personal or collective appeals to state bodies (paragraph 1), as well as of the obligation of state bodies and the officials thereof to consider any appeal and furnish a reply thereto within the period determined by law (paragraph 2).

At the same time, article 72 of the Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” set forth in a new wording establishes the rules according to which the time-limits for appeal against decisions, shortening temporary stay in the Republic of Belarus and cancelling temporary or permanent residence permits, are reduced from one year to ten working days from the date of the foreigners’ notification of such decisions (paragraph 3). As to expulsion decisions – the time-limits for their appeal are reduced from one month to five working days from the date of the foreigners’ notification of such decisions (paragraph 4).

The Constitutional Court deems that this legal regulation does not diminish the foreigners’ right to address appeals to state bodies of the Republic of Belarus and does not impair its essence. Such approach of the legislator is within the discretion of the Parliament to regulate the legal status of foreigners in order to optimise external migration, as well as to safeguard law and order, constitutional rights and freedoms of the citizens of the Republic of Belarus.

Based on the analysis of the provisions of the Law, the Constitutional Court holds that they are aimed at ensuring the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of foreign nationals and stateless persons during their entry, exit and stay in the Republic of Belarus, at inspiring the cross-cultural exchange, more intensive economic and humanitarian co-operation between the Belarusians and foreigners, as well as at effective counteraction to illegal migration.

The Law has been adopted by the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus and approved by the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus within their competence in accordance with Article 97.1.2 and Article 98.1.1 of the Constitution.

In view of the foregoing the Constitutional Court concludes that the Law is in conformity with the Constitution as regards the contents of its rules, form of the act, procedure of its adoption and delineation of competence between state bodies.

Guided by Article 116.1, Article 116.7 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, Article 24.2 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Judicial System and Status of Judges, Articles 103–105 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Constitutional Proceedings” the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus 

RULED: 

  1. To recognise the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Amending the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus” to be conforming to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. 
  1. The present Decision shall come into force from the date of adoption. 
  1. To publish the present Decision in accordance with legislative acts.

 

Presiding Officer –

Petr Miklashevich,

Chairman

Constitutional Court

Republic of Belarus