Shchotkina thinks unemployed people can live on 180,000 a month

There are no plans to raise unemployment benefits in Belarus.

The statement was made by minister of labour and social protection Maryana Shchotkina, as she answered questions from MPs on May 6, BelaPAN reports.

The maximum unemployment benefit in Belarus is equal to two basic amounts (a basic amounts is 180,000 rubles).

“We don't plan to raise unemployment benefits, because under the law on targeted social assistance, if an unemployed person is registered officially, he and his family have the right to receive targeted social assistance,” Shchotkina said.

She added that higher unemployment benefits would lead to an increase of funds allocated from the Social Protection Fund.

According to Shchotkina, a state unemployment insurance programme makes no economic sense. “We don't need it now, because we have targeted social assistance,” the minister said.