Aliaksandr Sasnou: Tax on social parasitism is another mad idea of authorities

Officials extort money from people trying to find means to save the image of the ruler.

Aliaksandr Sasnou, a former minister of labour and social protection, spoke to charter97.org about the idea that unemployed Belarusians must pay more for utilities, transport and health care.

“All understand that it is another stupid and mad idea of crazy officials. As for a technical possibility, it will be rather difficult, even if we speak about transport fees, the easiest of the services mentioned in the initiative. As for utility bills, how will a family pay, if one person works abroad but the rest family members work in Belarus? The problem cannot be solved technically,”Aliaksandr Sasnou said.

The former minister explains the reasons for the initiative proposed by deputy minister of labour and social protection Piotr Hrushnik.

“It is yet another way to extort money from people. The reason is lack of money to save the image of the ruler,” he said.

As for the question is whether it is fair to consider officially unemployed Belarusians “social parasites” and “spongers”, as officials call them, Aliaksandr Sasnou advised to re-address it to supporters of Stalin's regime.

“They will say: if they are not with us, they are against us, so we can call them 'lowlifes', 'spongers' and so on. In actual fact, employment conditions in the country do not comply with today's requirements. People have to look for opportunities to earn by all means.”

A mechanism of compensation for a part of state expenses on social services and other services sponsored by the state by unemployed people and their families is being worked out in Belarus. This statement was made by Piotr Hrushnik, the deputy minister of labour and social protection, during an online conference on the ministry's website.

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