Constitutional Court chairman comments on resolution adopted at All-Belarusian People's Assembly

1996-10-22 15:30

Minsk, 22 October. While speaking at a news conference held on October 22, Valery Tsikhinya, chairman of the Constitutional Court, cited the part of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly's resolution that concerned the Constitutional Court. "The tension in society is being aggravated by the Constitutional Court's political statements not allowed by the status of this institution," the resolution read. Mr. Tsikhinya said that this statement "does not correspond to the facts." He cited the following arguments. Guided by Article 7 of the Law on the Constitutional Court, the Court made a "peace-making proposal" addressed to the president and the Supreme Soviet, and reminded them that "stability in society is ensured above all by the stability of the Basic Law." That is why the Court proposed that both the president and the Supreme Soviet should withdraw their draft constitutions and abandon attempts to change the Basic Law in the near future. "No one can claim that this proposal heats up the situation," Mr. Tsikhinya said.
He also recalled the Constitutional Court's appeal to the delegates of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly. "We reminded them that the Supreme Soviet alone has the right to announce referenda and to set the dates of referenda," he said. The appeal also contained a warning that if any decisions are taken on this matter, they will be made in violation of the constitution, Mr. Tsikhinya added. "Was it a political statement when we urged them to respect the constitution?" he asked a rhetorical question. In his opinion, the fact that the All-Belarusian People's Assembly did not make any unconstitutional decisions was influenced by the Constitutional Court's appeal as well.