The DPR Parliament is finalizing the drafting of a new constitution for the republic

The adoption of the new constitution of the Donetsk People’s Republic as a subject of Russia is planned before the end of the year, Vladimir Bidevka, chairman of the People’s Council of the DPR, told Vedomosti.

“The draft of the new constitution of the Donetsk People’s Republic is actually ready, now the document is undergoing final approval. It is planned to complete all legal processes in the near future in order to adopt a new constitution for the Donetsk People’s Republic as a subject of the Russian Federation by the end of the year,” he said.

The adoption of a new constitution became necessary after the entry of the republic into Russia.

The DPR, as well as the Lugansk People’s Republic, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions signed agreements on joining the federation on September 30. The federal constitutional law “On the admission of the Donetsk People’s Republic to the Russian Federation and the formation of a new subject within the Russian Federation – the DPR” was published and entered into force on October 5. Article 2 of this law establishes, in particular, that the DPR is admitted to Russia in the status of a republic. From this it follows that the region has its own Constitution and legislation.

Formerly Vedomosti wrotethat the adoption of new constitutions by the DPR and LPR may occur before the end of 2022. They can be discussed at “zero readings” with public activists, then deputies will be asked to vote for them. The documents will be accepted by the acting parliamentarians of the republics. According to the law on the admission of the republic to Russia, the People’s Council of the DPR in its current composition exercises powers until re-election in September 2023.

The current DPR constitution was adopted on May 14, 2014. The document was signed by the then chairman of the DPR Supreme Council, and now the acting head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin.

The document consists of 86 articles and establishes that the republic is a democratic legal social state, and its territory is recognized as one and indivisible. Throughout history, eight amendments have been made to the basis of the law of the DPR. In particular, in March 2020, Russian became the only state language of the region, before that Ukrainian was the same; in November 2018 – the Council of Ministers became known as the government; in December 2017 – the term of office of the head of the DPR was extended for a year – from four to five years (the same period is set for the regions of the Russian Federation).