At the very beginning of the meeting, the President asked the Speaker of the Council of the Republic to share her thoughts on the work of the highest legislative body, “How are the senators doing? Are they living up to the hopes and expectations placed upon them, or perhaps something isn’t working out? Maybe they need some help or support.”

As for legislative activities, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted, “You are doing everything that the Council of the Republic is supposed to do. But I am more interested in your co-operation with subordinate councils. That is what we agreed upon to be your area of responsibility. Another issue is improving citizen engagement, handling petitions and overseeing implementation. Feel free to raise any other matters you deem necessary to discuss.”

Natalya Kochanova stated that the Council of the Republic is operating in line with the Constitution, existing laws governing the National Assembly, and the President’s instructions, “Every task set for the Council of the Republic is being met in full, first and foremost our legislative activities. We work on draft laws, and from the very outset we join forces with members of the House of Representatives in developing draft laws.”

As of 2025 and for the period to date in 2026, the Council of the Republic has passed 88 bills, including laws ‘On Amendments to the Codes on Criminal Liability’, ‘On Amendments to the Laws on Notarial Activities’, ‘On Consumer Credit and Consumer Microloans’, and ‘On Leasing Activities’. As of 2025 and for the period to date in 2026, the Council of the Republic has passed 88 bills. These include the laws ‘On Amendments to the Codes on Criminal Liability’, ‘On Amendments to the Laws on Notarial Activities’, ‘On Consumer Credit and Consumer Microloans’, and ‘On Leasing Activities’. Laws concerning auditing, energy conservation, road traffic and postal services have been updated. The Expert Council, established by order of the Belarusian leader, has improved the quality of draft legislation, acting as a ‘legal filter’ that facilitates thorough analysis of key draft regulations and assess potential outcomes of their adoption. Seven of the 43 draft regulatory legal acts considered over this period received support (16.3 percent), with 36 prompting conceptual comments and suggestions for revision (83.7 percent).

At present, the Council of the Republic is reviewing 23 draft laws.

Additionally, members of the Council of the Republic have reviewed 9,300 appeals, conducted 942 in-person meetings with citizens, held 445 direct telephone lines, and participated in about 2,200 gatherings with labour teams and local residents.

Special emphasis is placed on addressing issues raised during meetings with the President’s proxies as part of the election campaign. Direct interaction with citizens helps identify opportunities to improve legislation, with appeals including not only complaints but also proposals for enhancing regulatory legal acts.

The Council of the Republic co-ordinates the work of local councils of deputies by holding meetings with the chairs of regional, city and district councils of deputies at least quarterly to discuss urgent issues brought forward by citizens to both Council of the Republic members and local deputies, aiming to find solutions.

The platform of the Council for Interaction of Local Self-Government Bodies under the Council of the Republic is also being actively used.