«The idea of holding such meetings did not come by chance. People who stood at the origins of the formation of our state together with the president, creating the legal foundation of the state, are gathered here,» Natalya Kochanova said as she opened the meeting.
The head of the upper chamber of the Belarusian parliament thanked those present for the work they have been doing and continue doing. «When we were making the first steps, our colleagues stood shoulder to shoulder with the president,» she said. «And made very important decisions. At that time it was necessary to create everything anew. And they worked very hard, thought very carefully about decisions. This is why we are deeply grateful to all those people who stood at the origins of parliamentarism in sovereign Belarus.»
Natalya Kochanova stressed that the president, who worked in the Supreme Council back in the day, understood well that these decisions should work for the benefit of the people and his country.
«The head of state highly appreciates the work of the parliamentary corps of our country, understands how important it is today for the legislative branch in the country to be strong, for the legislators to understand and worry about the problems of the people, so that they are not detached from the land and the people. The power in our country belongs to the people,» the speaker stressed.
Only eight members of the Council of the Republic work in the region on a professional basis, and in total 395 people have been members of the Council of the Republic over 30 years. And this imposes an equally high responsibility on those who are granted such a high honor, Natalya Kochanova noted.
«You do everything so that our country develops, so that the laws that are adopted are effective, so that they are aimed at the development of our country. Apart from that, you help people,» Natalya Kochanova noted.
At the meeting the attendees recalled the work in different convocations of the Council of the Republic, talked about parliamentarians who left a significant mark on the Belarusian soil, and shared their experience.
