Discussion

Ex. 1. Answer the following questions. Work in pairs.

1. What is the fundamental law of the Republic of Belarus?

2. Did Belarus have its own Constitution when it was one of the Soviet Union's republics?

3. When did a new stage in the history of Belarusian statehood begin?

4. What document of historic importance was adopted on July the 27^th, 1990?

5. What happened in December 19991 in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha?

6. What was the first legal act that declared Belarus a new democratic state in Eastern Europe?

7. When was the present-day Constitution adopted?

8. What is the basis of the 1994 Constitution?

9. Is Belarus a presidential or parliamentary Republic?

10. How many chapters does the Constitution of the Belarusian Republic consist of?

11. What possesses supremacy and complete authority on the territory of Belarus?

12. What is prohibited on the territory of the Republic of Belarus?

13. What are the symbols of the Republic of Belarus as a sovereign state?

14. What languages are state languages in Belarus?

15. What does the Constitution proclaim?

16. 16.What rights does the Constitution guarantee?

17. What principle does the Constitution establish?

18. What basis is the state power founded on in Belarus?

19. What is one of the most important duties of all the citizens of the country?

20. When may a person be pronounced guilty of a crime in Belarus?

Ex. 2. Complete the following sentences.

1. The Constitution is ...

2. A new stage in the history of ...

3. The final legal act that declared ...

4. The present-day constitution ...

5. The head of the state is elected ...

6. The Constitution consists of ...

7. The Constitution defines ...

8. The territory of Belarus is ...

9. The multitude of political institutes ...

10. National, religious and racist hostility ...

11. The Republic of Belarus recognises the priority ...

12. The Constitution states that securing the rights and ...

13. Monopolisation of the mass media ...

14. The Constitution guarantees the citizens ...

Ex. 3. Ask questions on the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus using the following word combinations. Work in pairs.

to adopt the Constitution, to declare the political and economical independence, the agreement on creation, the final legal act, at the national referendum, a presidential republic, to be elected, to consist of, unitary democratic state, nation's well-being and sovereignty, the principle of supremacy of law, to act within the limits of the Constitution, non-use of force or threat of force, the supreme goal of the state, to be equal before the law, to have the right to equal protection, to define and regulate the relationship between the state and individuals,

the right to health protection, social security in old age, to be accessible to everybody, to obtain education, on the basis of contest and free of charge, all forms of ownership, state and private ownership, the principle of separation of powers, legislative, executive and judicial branches, to be proved by law in a lawful court's sentence, the part of the world community, to recognise the Declaration of Human Rights, a set of rules, to establish the duties, powers and functions of various institutions of government;