Belarus authorities set up first commissions to make lists of ‘social parasites’

The so-called employment commissions have been established in Pruzhany and Kamyanets districts in Belarus.

The newly-founded bodies will be responsible for making lists of ‘social parasites’, informing people of being listed, helping them in finding jobs. They will also be authorised to send troubled persons to occupational therapy rehabilitation centres. The commissions will consider appeals for the full or partial exemption from paying utility bills from those being on the rocks. They are entitled to collect information about citizens and make requests for it in different organisations and enterprises of Belarus.

The commissions are expected to hold their sessions at least twice a month. They will include MPs, doctors, representatives of housing and utility sector and trade unions, members of pro-government Belaya Rus movement and others.

The Labour Ministry has been tasked with creating a database of ‘idlers’ by December 1, 2018, It will be updated on a quarterly basis.

In April, the government decided on the people subject to Decree No. 1, which was introduced after massive protests against Decree No. 3 took place across the country. There is now a list of services to be paid in full by ‘parasites’.

On January 25, Alyaksandr Lukashenka signed Decree No. 1, which provides for measures to promote employment of the population. The new decree did not include norms on taxing non-working population. Persons who were previously recognized as payers of this fee were exempted from it.

ДР belsat.eu