“Social parasites” to pay for healthcare

Official unemployed Belarusians will also pay more for utilities.

No tax for social parasitism will be imposed in 2014, first deputy minister of finance of Belarus Uladzimir Amaryn said today, BelTA reports.

“No decisions to impose a tax on social parasites have been taken. It wasn't mentioned in the state budget for 2014,” Uladzimir Amaryn said. “The Ministry of Finance doesn't consider this issue now. No special taxes on unemployed citizens are expected. The tax on social parasitism won't be introduced in 2014.”

The deputy minister suggested that the issue of imposing special payments on the unemployed would be considered “outside the scope of taxation”. One of possible variants is the introduction of social cards. The issue is being discussed by government agencies, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

Uladzimir Amaryn presented the Ministry of Finance's view on the idea that unemployed citizens should pay for social services.

“In our view, the people should compensation for services or pay for them in some way, if they don't contribute to the formation of the gross domestic product, don't pay income taxes to the state budget and don't make contributions to the Social Protection Fund, but use free healthcare, free education, have utility and transport benefits, in other words, use a range of services,” he said.

It became known two months ago that Belarus considers a mechanism of compensation by unemployed citizens for a part of the state's expenses on rendering social and other services to them and their families. This statement was made by Piotr Hrushnik, a first deputy minister of labour and social protection, during an online conference.

The official noted that under article 56 of the Constitution of Belarus all citizens should contribute to funding public expenditure by means of state taxes, duties and other payments.