The legislation on local self-government and local government needs to be improved, BelTA learned from Nikolai Kudravets, a representative of the Constitutional Commission, Chairman of the Pruzhany District Council of Deputies.
The official said: “The current Constitution is a wisely compiled document but it already needs certain changes. Residents of the region, people participating in dialogue platforms have submitted proposals on amending the Constitution. It is necessary to take a closer look at them. In my opinion, it is necessary to revise the matter of local government and self-government, in particular, the status and roles of members of rural councils of deputies.”
Nikolai Kudravets pointed out that the chairperson of a rural council of deputies and the chairperson of a rural executive committee are one and the same person. Proposals have been voiced to abolish rural councils of deputies in order to transfer their powers to rural executive committees, which can be renamed into administrations. “I would like this view to be reflected in the Constitution. There is a problem in the countryside: it is sometimes difficult to elect a council of deputies due to urbanization. I’d like more attention to be paid to the work of village heads – first aides to the heads of rural councils of deputies. It would be a good idea to develop the institution of village heads and support these people financially. Certainly, there are a lot of active people, who are ready to do good deeds in their own land together with their fellow villagers. However, material stimuli are necessary,” Nikolai Kudravets is convinced.
In his opinion, these matters should be revised and stipulated in the Constitution in order to reflect them later in the law on local government and self-government.