Ministry of Trade to Belarusians: If you want to live on savings – leave the country

The Decree on “social parasites” throws Belarusians, who have decided to take a time out after many years of work, into a hard dilemma.

They are offered to pay the tax… or clear out of the country for more than half a year! To the question of Euroradio whether it is allowed to live off on one’s legally earned savings without paying a tax on “social parasitism”, the head of the legal department of the Minisrty of Trade and Social Defence Valyantsina Maslouskaya answered in the negative.

The official gives as a reason that the taxes once paid, even big ones, are not covering the future.

- It is impossible to extend once paid taxes to the future. Tell me, where is it possible, in which state? You have been working, you paid taxes, but you have been doing that for that period. When you stopped working, we cannot charge the paid taxes for the future period. I haven’t met such things in any state in my practice, - the official said.

- But there is no such a tax in any other country.

- I’m sorry, the question is not about whether such a charge exists or not. The question concerns participation in taxation. If there is no such tax, other things exist, the size of taxes. They reach 50% in some countries. Every country has its opportunities.

Thus, it is possible to live abroad on the money earned in Belarus and not work, and one is not to pay the tax on social parasitism then. The only condition is to prove that the person stayed outside Belarus.

- That is, if I want to live on my savings for some time, I should go abroad?

- If we consider the Decree №3, you are right, you should leave. If you live in the country for less than 183 days in one year, you are to be exempted from the tax.

However, in such a case the Belarusian budget is to lose 20% of the VAT, which is paid by every person who buys goods in shops or pays for any service. This money is to be received abroad…

We remind that the Decree №3 “On Prevention of Social Parasitism” was signed by Lukashenka on April 2, 2015.

Under the decree citizens of Belarus, foreign citizens who are permanently living in the country, stateless persons, who didn’t took part in financing of state expenses or who had been taking part in such financing for less than 183 days (half a year) in the year that ended, are to pay a charge of 20 basic units.

The Decree №3 limits possibilities of parents, making them resume work as soon as their child turns 7.

The Interior Affairs Ministry promises not to let persons on a black list of those who do not pay the tax travel abroad – both Belarusians and citizens of other states living in Belarus.

Police threatens to make even homeless persons and those without official registration pay the tax, saying that everyone is equal for the law.

The database of persons who are obliged to pay the tax for financing state expenses is to be created together by all kinds of officials, as far as statements of official persons inform.