The inspection revealed violations of legislation during the public discussion of urban planning projects

The prosecutor's offices of the Vitebsk region conducted an inspection of compliance with the requirements of legislation in the field of housing relations, architecture and construction in the activities of local executive and administrative bodies.

The inspection revealed violations of legislative requirements during public discussions in the field of architectural, urban planning and construction activities.

In particular, the inspection showed that citizens were not always timely informed about public discussions of urban planning projects, notifications of these events were improperly drawn up and contained incomplete information, and citizens were not provided with information on the results of public discussions.

For example, in violation of paragraph 8 of the Regulation on the procedure for conducting public discussions in the field of architectural, urban planning and construction activities, approved by the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 687 of 01.06.2011, city and district executive committees did not timely post notifications of public discussions on websites on the Internet and in the media. The specified violation did not allow citizens to fully exercise their right to participate in these events and express their opinion on the construction of facilities in Braslavsky, Vitebsky, Miorsky, Postavsky, Sennensky and other districts, and the city of Vitebsk.

In some cases, the violations committed led to significant delays and necessitated the re-conduct of public discussions (discussion of the urban development project "General Plan of Braslav"). 

In violation of clause 9 of the aforementioned Regulation, notifications on the conduct of public discussions of urban development projects "General Plan of Braslav", "General Plan of the settlement of Lipovtsy, Vitebsk region", "General Plan combined with a detailed plan of the settlement of Podbereze, Vitebsk region" and others did not comply with the established requirements.

Contrary to the requirements of clause 16 of the Regulation, the organizers of public discussions did not always post information on the results of these public discussions on the websites of city and district executive committees and in the media, or posted it with violations of the established deadlines (public discussions of urban development projects "General Plan of Postavy", "Comprehensive Territorial Organization Scheme of Miory District", architectural and planning concept "Church of Jesus the Merciful in Postavy, Vitebsk Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Republic of Belarus", projects "Construction of a car repair workshop at the address: Polotsk, E. Polotskaya St., 35a",

Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God "Builder of Breads" in agrotown Kushliki, Polotsk district and others.).

Based on the facts of violations of legislation identified during public discussions, prosecutors of cities and districts have submitted 6 representations and issued 1 order to the chairmen of city and district executive committees. The Prosecutor's Office of the Vitebsk Region has sent a generalized representation to the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, which is under consideration.

Prosecutor of the Department for Supervision of the Enforcement of Legislation and Legality of Legal Acts of the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, 1st class lawyer M.S. Zaprudskaya