The President has initiated amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Vestina.

On 15 October 2026, at a session of Garacium, President of the Digital State of the Republic of Vestina, E. A. Kogtev, announced an initiative to hold a nationwide referendum on the draft Constitutional Law “On Amendments and Additions to the Constitution of the Digital State of the Republic of Vestina.” The deputies of Garacium discussed the draft law and supported the President’s initiative. The date of the referendum will be determined at a later stage by Presidential Decree, following the issuance of an opinion on the draft by the Constitutional Arbitrium.

The amendments affect nearly every chapter of the Basic Law, with one exception: the 2021 Declaration of State Sovereignty remains untouched and is henceforth declared unamendable.

The President’s Address

“Vestina has evolved from a declaration of intent into a state with functioning institutions: the Government, Garacium, Justiarum, registries, and citizens’ personal accounts. Yet the Constitution was written for a state at an earlier stage of its development. We are not rewriting it from scratch — we are completing the foundation upon which the house already stands. And the rules that constrain power are most honestly proposed by the very person whose power they constrain.”

Why the Constitution Needs to Be Amended

The current Constitution was adopted on 17 December 2024. Since then, Vestina has introduced constitutional laws governing the President, the Government, and Garacium, as well as laws on democracy and public governance, the Law on Legal Acts, and rules on constitutional review. The legislative framework has advanced, while the Basic Law has, in several respects, struggled to keep pace.

The most significant gaps are as follows. The Constitution does not establish a procedure for amending itself — it resembles a secure safe for which the key has been forgotten. The judicial authorities are mentioned but are not formally established by name. Citizens’ right to repeal a normative legal act is enshrined, but no procedure is provided for exercising it: the promise exists, but the instructions are missing.

The draft amendments address these gaps and bring the Constitution into alignment with existing legislation. The approach is deliberately restrained: the Constitution establishes the fundamental principles, while specific figures, time limits, and procedures remain governed by the relevant laws. This allows the details to be refined without having to call a nationwide referendum every time.

What Changes Are Being Proposed?

1. Procedure for Amending the Constitution. A new Chapter 5 is introduced. The Constitution may be amended exclusively through a nationwide referendum: neither Garacium nor the Government has the authority to amend it independently. The initiative may be proposed by the President or by citizens. Amendments are adopted if supported by more than half of the referendum participants. Chapter 1 — the Declaration of Sovereignty — is not subject to amendment.

2. Rights and Freedoms. The right to personal data protection, the right to digital identity verified by a VST-ID number, and equal access to electronic public services are enshrined in the Constitution. An explicit prohibition of discrimination is introduced. The confidentiality of correspondence is extended to all electronic communication channels — in a digital state, this is not a mere formality, but a foundation of trust.

3. Popular Sovereignty. The Constitution identifies the forms of direct and representative democracy: elections, referendums, citizens’ initiatives, digital consultations, and public oversight. Draft legal acts affecting citizens’ rights are submitted for public discussion. The organization of elections and referendums is entrusted to an independent Central Election Commission. Citizens’ right to repeal a normative legal act is given a practical mechanism: a referendum initiated by the President or by citizens themselves.

4. The President. The constitutional status of the Head of State is brought into alignment with the Constitutional Law “On the President.” The President’s powers include issuing decrees having the force of law, delivering an annual Address to Garacium, returning laws with objections, and signing a law that has been adopted again by a two-thirds majority of deputies. For the first time, the Constitution establishes grounds for the early termination of presidential powers and a procedure for removal from office: charges must be brought by at least one-third of the deputies, while the decision requires the votes of three-quarters of Garacium. If the President is temporarily unable to perform their duties, those duties are assumed by the Chairperson of Garacium.

5. Garacium. The Constitution establishes Parliament’s powers to adopt and oversee the budget, confirms its non-partisan character, and recognizes the right of legislative initiative held by the President, the Government, deputies, and citizens.

6. The Government. The composition of the Government is clarified, including the position of Vice-Chief Governor, along with its accountability to the President. At Garacium’s invitation, members of the Government report on their work, and the Government is required to consider inquiries submitted by Garacium.

7. The Judiciary. Justiarum is established as Vestina’s unified judicial system. The Supreme Arbitrium becomes the highest judicial authority, headed by the Chairperson of Justiarum. The Constitutional Arbitrium is established as the body responsible for constitutional review and the sole authority empowered to provide official interpretations of the Constitution. Citizens will also be entitled to petition it if a legal act violates their constitutional rights.

8. Legal Acts. The hierarchy of legal acts and the procedures for their adoption are referred to the Law on Legal Acts. The Constitution establishes one fundamental rule: an unpublished legal act affecting citizens’ rights shall not be applied.

Amendment Procedure

The draft is submitted to the Constitutional Arbitrium for an opinion on its compliance with the requirements of the Constitution. Following a positive opinion, the President will issue a Decree calling a nationwide referendum, specifying the date and voting procedure.

Voting will take place electronically on the official platform of the Republic of Vestina. The amendments will be adopted if supported by more than half of the citizens participating in the referendum and will enter into force on the date of official publication of the results.

Prior to the scheduling of the referendum, citizens may review the draft law, its explanatory memorandum, and the proposed revised text of the Constitution on the official website of the Republic of Vestina. The decision on the future of the Basic Law will be made not by officials or deputies, but by the citizens themselves — exactly as it should be in a state where the people are the source of power.