The Government in its activity shall be accountable to the President of the Republic of Belarus and responsible to the Parliament of the Republic of Belarus.

The Government shall relinquish powers to the President-elect of the Republic of Belarus.

The Government of the Republic of Belarus shall consist of the Prime minister, his deputies and ministers. The heads of other central bodies of state administration may be members of the Government.

The Prime minister shall be appointed by the President of the Republic of Belarus with the consent of the House of Representatives. The decision to this order shall be taken by the House of Representatives within two weeks since the nomination of the candidacy of the Prime minister. If the House of Representatives rejects the submitted nomination of the Prime minister twice, the President shall appoint the acting Prime minister on his own, and dissolve the House of Representatives and call new elections.

The Prime minister shall manage the activities of the Government. The Prime minister shall:

1) manage directly the activities of the Government and hold personal responsibility for its activities;

2) sign the acts of the Government;

3) submit to Parliament a report on the Programme of the Government within two months after his appointment, and in the instance of its rejection submit the second report on the Programme of the Government within two months;

4) inform the President on the basic guidelines of the activities of the Government, and on all the most important decisions;

5) exercise other functions connected with the organization and activities of the Government.

The Government or any member therein shall be entitled to tender the resignation to the President, if he deems it impossible to discharge the duties entrusted to him. The Government shall tender its resignation to the President if the House of Representatives has passed a vote of no confidence to the Government.

The Prime minister may request from the House of Representatives a vote of confidence with regard to the governmental Programme or any other issue submitted to the House. If a non-confidence vote is passed by the House of Representatives, the President shall be entitled to accept the resignation of the Government, or dissolve the House of Representatives within ten days, and call on holding new elections. If the resignation of the Government is rejected the latter shall continue to discharge its duties.

The President shall be entitled to take the decision on the resignation of the Government on his own initiative, and dismiss any member of the Government.

In the instance of the resignation of the Government of the Republic of Belarus or termination of its powers, the latter on the assignment of the President shall continue to hold office until a new Government shall have been formed.

Article 107. The Government of the Republic of Belarus shall: • administer the system of subordinate bodies of state administration and other executive organs;

elaborate the basic guidelines of the domestic and foreign policy, and take measures to its implementation;

elaborate and submit to the President for further parliamentary consideration the draft national budget and an account of its implementation;

ensure the execution of a uniform economic, financial, credit and monetary policy, and state policy in the field of science, culture, education, health care, ecology, social security and remuneration for labour;

take measures to secure the rights and liberties of citizens, safeguard the interests of the state, national security and defence, protection of property, maintain public order and eliminate crime;

act on behalf of property owner with regard to assets which are the sole property of the Republic of Belarus, and exercise management of state property;

ensure the implementation of the Constitution, the laws, decrees, edicts and instructions of the President;

repeal acts of ministries and other central bodies of state administration; exercise other powers entrusted to him by the Constitution, laws and acts of the President.

Article 108. The Government of the Republic of Belarus shall issue acts, that have binding force in the entire territory of the Republic of Belarus. The Prime minister shall issue orders which are under his jurisdiction. The competence of the Government and the procedure governing its activities shall be determined on the basis of the Constitution and the Law on the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus.