Belarus Named Cost of Land under Russian Pipes :: Charter'97 :: News

Fee for using land from forest reserves, given over for pipelines, power lines and other linear objects, is planned in Belarus. As the chairman of the Belarusian State Committee on property G. Kuznyatsu has told journalists today, a draft presidential decree has been worked out, and it is under reconciliation procedure in the government now. As said by him, according to this document, Belarusian enterprises, owners of linear objects, are to pay a tax for using forest land.

Foreign firms will rent the land, for instance under a pipeline. It is natural that a rent charge would be introduced. However, as said by Kuznyatsou, sums will be insignificant. It is supposed that the country is to get about $8 million annually. Belarusian companies would pay $3 million land tax, while foreign companies about $5 million.

Foreign companies are Russian companies which possess a lot of land of Yamal-Europe pipeline, and oil pipelines.

Kuznyatsou asks not to connect introduction of the tax with the recent dispute between Belarus and Russia, explaining that in August 2006 when coordinating issues of forest fund land allocation, there was a condition made to offer exclusion zone for concession, PRIME TASS informs.