the Supreme Court, the Supreme Economic Court, and the Constitutional Court. The latter court is charged with protecting the constitution, and its decisions are not subject to appeal. It has the power to review the constitutionality of presidential edicts and the regulatory decisions of the two other high courts. The amended constitution allows the president to appoint half of the judges on the Constitutional Court and its chairperson; the legislature is to appoint the remaining members. Under the 1994 constitution its 11 judges were nominated by the president and elected by the Supreme Soviet. Following the reconfiguration, seven of its judges, including the chairperson, resigned in protest.The highest court in Kazakhstan is the Supreme Court, whose members are nominated by the president and chosen by the Senate. Supreme Court judges are appointed for life. Under the 1995 constitution, the Constitutional Council replaced the Constitutional Court that had been established in 1991. The council rules on all constitutional matters, but its decisions are subject to a presidential right of veto. The council is composed of seven members: three appointed by the president and four appointed by the legislature.Belarus is divided administratively into six oblasts, which have the names corresponding to their largest cities. The Minsk, Hrodna, Homyel', Mahilyow, Vitebsk, and Brest oblasts are each divided into smaller administrative districts, called rayony. The oblasts have their own councils for the administration of regional affairs. In addition, the president has appointed a plenipotentiary, or diplomatic agent, in each oblast to report local affairs to the executive.For purposes of local government, Kazakhstan is divided into 16 administrative units, or 15 provinces (in Kazakh, oblystar) and Almaty City. Councils (maslikhat) that are directly elected for four-year terms administer these units. The president of the republic appoints the heads ...
