Results of Discussions on Local Self-Government and Administrative Reform Projects in the Republic of Belarus

During the discussion process, 339 comments were submitted by participants of the Personnel Reserve initiative.

Among the most discussed topics were:

🔸 Powers and competences of local self-government bodies
🔸 Naming of local self-government units and their representative and executive bodies
🔸 Oversight and supervision of local self-government bodies
🔸 Transitional period — implementation of administrative-territorial and local governance reforms after democratic changes in the Republic of Belarus
🔸 Mechanisms of public oversight and transparency in the work of local self-government bodies

Participants put forward a range of proposals, including:

👉 A two-year transitional period, maintaining the existing administrative-territorial structure. During this period, local communities would be modeled and public consultations on new boundaries conducted. After two years, elections would be held for new community councils within the updated administrative-territorial system.

👉 Direct election of heads of executive bodies of communities (community chairpersons) by residents.

👉 Reform of financing mechanisms for local self-government bodies.

Remaining points of discussion:

🔺 Naming of local self-government units and their representative and executive bodies
🔺 Oversight and supervision of local self-government bodies

The discussion had a highly positive impact on the development of proposals for reform of the administrative-territorial system and local self-government in the Republic of Belarus. For further work on reform projects, the author recommended involving some of the most active participants in continued collaboration.