3.2. National level of the administrative system

3.2.1. Institutions at national level. Their functions and tasks

Administrative system of Belarus is the complex of acting ministries, state committees and other national, regional and local authorities. The highest authority of the administrative system is the Council of Minister of the Republicс of Belarus.
Structured according to functional and territorial principles, the government system includes 25 ministries, 7 state committees, ministerial committees, 6 regional executive committees, 47 city executive committees, 118 district executive committees, 81 township and 1449 rural executive committees. In addition, the state governance system incorporated economic management agencies (associations, corporations, concerns and state companies) and is supplemented by various non-governmental organizations (unions, funds, and societies), each managing the individual aspects of socio-economic relations.
The government institutions on the national level effectively took charge of a number of functions that had previously been the responsibility of the USSR government. The existing governance system encompasses the following key areas: economy and finance, production and technologies, social policies, the services sector, national security and foreign policy. This enables it to effectively manage the vital parts of social life and promote the reform and development of the national economy.
However, today's government system also has a number of inadequacies and imbalances in its organization, staffing and distribution of authority. Up until recently, some vital functions of state governance were duplicated, wholly or partially, by the legislature and the executive branch, and by various institutions within the executive branch itself. This trend was particularly obvious in the area of state control and current management of the economy. Not all of the existing ministries, state committees and government agencies have clear areas of authority, responsibility or functions.
The public administration system of Belarus is not static, but is in the process of continuous change. This is a fairly difficult process. On the one hand, the transformations in the governance system have to follow the socio-economic developments. On the other, the system has to remain in control of these developments. There is therefore a need to co-ordinate the changes in the governance system with the long- short- and midterm development programs and forecasts.
The main features of the current system of administration are retrieval and strengthening of administrative vertical and rising the level of controllability of main society' spheres, existence of structures and agencies making a reformation of the economy.
The key goal of the government reform now is to maintain a fair balance of power between the central government and local administrations as a means of promoting the socio-economic development of the country.

Government - the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus

Executive power in the Republic of Belarus is exercised by the Government - the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus - the central body of state administration.
The Government in its activity is accountable to the President and responsible to the Parliament of the Republic of Belarus. The Government relinquishes powers to the President-elect of the Republic of Belarus.
The Government or any member therein is to be entitled to tender the resignation to the President, if he deems it impossible to discharge the duties entrusted to him. The Government tenders its resignation to the President if the House of Representatives has passed a vote of no confidence to the Government. If a non-confidence vote is passed by the House of Representatives, the President is entitled to accept the resignation of the Government, or dissolves the House of Representatives within ten days, and calls on holding new elections. If the resignation of the Government is rejected the latter continues to discharge its duties.
The President is entitled to take the decision on the resignation of the Government on his own initiative, and dismiss any member of the Government.
In the instance of the resignation of the Government or termination of its powers, the latter on the assignment of the President continue to hold office until a new Government have been formed.( www.government.by)
The Government of the Republic of Belarus:

  • administer the system of subordinate bodies of state administration and other executive organs;
  • elaborate the basic guidelines of the domestic and foreign policy, and take measures to its implementation;
  • elaborate and submit to the President for further parliamentary consideration the draft national budget and an account of its implementation;
  • ensure the execution of a uniform economic, financial, credit and monetary policy, and state policy in the field of science, culture, education, health care, ecology, social security and remuneration for labour;
  • take measures to secure the rights and liberties of citizens, safeguard the interests of the state, national security and defence, protection of property, maintain public order and eliminate crime;
  • act on behalf of property owner with regard to assets which are the sole property of the Republic of Belarus, and exercise management of state property;
  • ensure the implementation of the Constitution, the laws, decrees, edicts and instructions of the President; 
  • repeal acts of ministries and other central bodies of state administration;
  • exercise other powers entrusted to him by the Constitution, laws and acts of the President.

The Government issues acts, that have binding force in the entire territory of the Republic of Belarus. The competence of the Government and the procedure governing its activities is determined on the basis of the Constitution and the Law "On the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus".
The Government consists of the Prime minister, his deputies and ministers. The heads of other central bodies of state administration may be members of the Government.
The Prime minister manages the activities of the Government. The Prime minister is appointed by the President with the consent of the House of Representatives. The decision to this order is taken by the House of Representatives within two weeks since the nomination of the candidacy of the Prime minister. If the House of Representatives rejects the submitted nomination of the Prime minister twice, the President appoints the acting Prime minister on his own, and dissolves the House of Representatives and calls new elections.
The Prime minister:

  • manages directly the activities of the Government and hold personal responsibility for its activities;
  • signs the acts of the Government;
  • submits to Parliament a report on the program of the Government within two months after his appointment, and in the instance of its rejection submit the second report on the program of the Government within two months;
  • informs the President on the basic guidelines of the activities of the Government, and on all the most important decisions;
  • exercises other functions connected with the organization and activities of the Government.

The Prime minister may request from the House of Representatives a vote of confidence with regard to the governmental Program or any other issue submitted to the House.
The Prime minister issues orders which are under his jurisdiction.