In Belarus and Russia, on April 2, the Day of Unity of Nations is celebrated annually at the state level.
On April 2, 1996, the Treaty on the Establishment of the Community of Belarus and Russia was signed, in accordance with which it was decided to create a politically and economically integrated community in order to unite the material and intellectual potential of the two states. The document was signed in Moscow by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and President of Russia Boris Yeltsin. A year later, on April 2, 1997, in Moscow, the Presidents of Belarus and Russia signed the Treaty on the Union of Belarus and Russia. Since then, April 2 has been celebrated as the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia.
On May 23, 1997, the Charter of the Union of Belarus and Russia was signed, in accordance with which the Supreme Council and the Executive Committee of the Union of Belarus and Russia were formed. In 1997-1998, the executive bodies of the Union and the general budget were formed, and the first union programs were developed and implemented. The Border and Customs Committees and the Security Committee were formed.
On December 8, 1999, the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State (US) was signed in Moscow, and the Action Program of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation for the implementation of its provisions was adopted. On January 26, 2000, after the Treaty was ratified by the parliaments of the two countries, it came into force.
Currently, in accordance with the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State, the Supreme State Council, the Council of Ministers and the Standing Committee of the Union State have been formed and are functioning. The functions of the Parliament of the Union State are performed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia. The supreme body of the Union State is the Supreme State Council (SSC). Its members include heads of state, heads of government, heads of chambers of parliaments of participating states. The Supreme State Council resolves the most important issues of development of the Union State, forms governing bodies, approves the budget and international treaties, and performs other functions.
The main goals of the creation of the Union were the desire to improve the living standards of peoples, strengthen relations of brotherhood, friendship and cooperation between Belarus and Russia in political, economic, social and other fields. One of the main and most successful areas of activity of the Union State is the implementation of a coordinated foreign policy of Belarus and Russia. The Republic of Belarus is the most consistent and reliable foreign policy ally of the Russian Federation. In turn, the Russian Federation invariably supports at all levels and in all international organizations and consistently defends the independent domestic and foreign policy position of the Republic of Belarus.
The fundamental point in cooperation between the two countries is to ensure social equality of citizens of the two countries. The legal basis for ensuring real equality of rights of citizens of Belarus and Russia is the Treaty on Equal Rights of Citizens of December 25, 1998.
One of the most important directions for pursuing a coordinated social policy is the formation of a common labor market of the Union State. Citizens of Russia and Belarus have equal rights in wages, working hours and rest periods, safety and working conditions. Mutual recognition of work experience is ensured, including work experience in the specialty. In the course of creating a single migration space, the permitting procedure for hiring was abolished.
On March 29, 2007, the Agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the field of social security came into force. The subject of the legal regulation of the agreement is relations related to pension provision and the assignment of labor pensions for old age (age), disability, in the event of loss of a breadwinner, social pensions, payment of contributions to state social insurance, provision of benefits for temporary disability and maternity, unemployment, burial, family benefits, compensation for harm in connection with an industrial accident or occupational disease in the event of resettlement of citizens of the Republic of Belarus and citizens of the Russian Federation within the Union State.
The Union State has developed a regulatory framework in the field of education that provides citizens with equal rights to receive education on the territory of the two countries. There is an intergovernmental agreement between Belarus and Russia on the mutual recognition and equivalence of educational documents, academic degrees and titles.
On March 6, 2008, the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the Russian Federation on the procedure for providing medical care to citizens of the Republic of Belarus in healthcare institutions of the Russian Federation and citizens of the Russian Federation in healthcare institutions of the Republic of Belarus came into force. The agreement secures equal rights of citizens to receive medical care, including free treatment in public health care institutions, for citizens of both states permanently residing in the territory of the parties, as well as for Heroes of the Soviet Union and holders of the Order of Glory of three degrees.
In the Union State of Belarus and Russia, many joint Belarusian-Russian programs and research in industry, construction, science, space exploration, energy, information technology, education, and culture are being implemented and planned.
The policy of the Union State in the field of culture is aimed at preserving common historical values, developing creative activity and cultural cooperation between the peoples of Belarus and Russia. Joint festivals, meetings of artists, cultural exchanges and tours of creative groups, joint production of films, exhibitions, protection of historical and cultural monuments, and their restoration have already become traditional. For works of literature and art that make a great contribution to strengthening relations of brotherhood, friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the member states of the Union State, the authors of which are citizens of the member states of the Union State, the Union State Prize in the field of literature and art is awarded.
