Posted: 26.04.2024 09:52:00

7th Belarusian People’s Congress delegates approved National Security Concept and Military Doctrine

The delegates of the 7th Belarusian People's Congress, held in Minsk on April 24th-25th, unanimously decided by open vote to approve the National Security Concept and the Military Doctrine of Belarus

The National Security Concept is a fundamental military-political document that regulates the state's approaches to ensuring its own security in various fields. In Belarus, the previous version of the document was adopted in 2010. Since then, the political landscape around Belarus has changed significantly, and a new version of the Constitution has been adopted. Among other things, these factors have led to the objective need to amend the foundations of ensuring national security in the country.

On February 20th, 2023, at a meeting of the Security Council of the Republic of Belarus, the draft of a new version of the National Security Concept was approved. Before submitting it to the Belarusian People's Congress for approval, the Head of State instructed to hold a public discussion on the document. Over a year, more than 70 discussion platforms were held to consider its main novelties in all regions. To maximise the audience coverage, the text of the new Concept was also posted on the National Legal Internet Portal.

On January 16th, 2024, at a meeting of the Security Council, the Head of State and the Security Council members were reported on the specific points that, as a result of public discussion, were proposed to be included in the updated Concept. They primarily concerned additional protection of the traditional family institution, increasing the level of social responsibility of business, overcoming regional development imbalances, specifying the list of national security forces, the conceptual apparatus used, the procedure for approving the system of indicative assessment of the state of national security, and others.

The draft of a new Military Doctrine was prepared in pursuance of the resolution of the Security Council On Consideration of the Draft of New National Security Concept of the Republic of Belarus.

The new Military Doctrine does not envisage a serious revision of the provisions of the state's military policy, the current provisions have remained unchanged, and its defensive nature has been preserved. The document reveals the content of the military policy of Belarus, in particular, it is emphasised that it is a peace-loving country, it does not threaten anyone, and attempts to interfere in its internal affairs, and even more so the threat of the use of military force or aggression, will be suppressed using the full potential of the state.