The principle of freedom of contract in civil law of the Republic of Belarus

Introduction: according to the author of the article, the principle of freedom of contract, secured among fundamental principles of civil legislation of the Republic of Belarus, is not fully implemented in the current legislation. Purpose: to identify legal rules incoherent with the requirements of the principle of freedom of contract and to work out proposals for their correction. Methods: the methodological framework of the research is based on a set of universal, general scientific and specific scientific methods of cognition. For the purposes of this research, the leading role is assigned to analytical, critical and systemic methods, methods of analysis and synthesis, abstraction and concretization. Results: the author proves that the principle of freedom of contract is not confined within the scope of law of obligation. Being a fundamental principle of civil legislation, it extends to its whole array, its manifestations being found in all branches of civil law. One should not limit the principle of freedom of contract to the freedom of entering into a contract only because freedom of contract manifests itself at all stages of contractual relations until termination thereof. So far as the principle offreedom of contract is a base for civil law regulation in relation to rules of contract law, including the regulation on freedom of contract, the author suggests distinguishing between restriction of freedom of contract as a principle and restriction of certain elements of freedom of contracting parties. Conclusion: freedom of contract, as any freedom, should obtain guarantees. That is why it is essential for its limits to be set under the law only providing private and public interests are balanced.