Lukashenka froze “tax on parasitism” after protests in Belarus

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On March 9, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko postponed the payment of the “tax on parasitism” for a year.

He promised that the decree on tax imposed on those who officially worked less than 6 months in a year would be adjusted, but not canceled, reports “Belta".

“During March, if necessary, we need to adjust this decree. But the decree will not be canceled. First of all, tell the officials that it will be implemented with the adjustments that I mentioned,” said the Belarusian leader.

He commissioned by 1 April to determine the lists of those who should make payments on the basis of the decree on “parasitism”.

“In 2016, a certain number (thousands of people) made payments without contesting. Today I am lifting the requirement that everyone we identify for the first quarter pay this money. We will not collect this money for 2016 from those who must pay. And those who paid will not pay in 2017. If they work in 2017, we must return this money upon their request,” Lukashenko explained.

Thus, Lukashenko responded to numerous protests against the tax, which affected about 8% of all able-bodied citizens of the country.

Belarusian economist Vladimir Kovalkin believes that the introduction of the tax was a big mistake, which was also psychologically poorly perceived by people, writes “Medusa".

“The fact that the decree was one big complete mistake was clear to everyone already at the stage of inventing it. Even then, independent economists and experts analyzed it and called the document violating several articles of the Constitution, which, for example, says that a person has the right to work, but there is not a word that he is obliged to work... As for the economic part of this decree “: trying to tax unemployed people is at least strange, if only because they simply do not have income from which they could pay this tax,” Kovalkin said.

The authorities wanted to hit the black and gray markets, the people who seem to be engaged in entrepreneurial activities, but they do not register and pay taxes, but hit unprotected segments of the population, for example, mothers sitting at home with their children.

“In addition, the very wording written in the decree greatly offends people. It’s one thing when you evade taxes - that’s all right, but here it turns out that you lived, worked, paid taxes, and then suddenly found yourself without a job - and suddenly became a parasite. And no one cares that you worked for 10-15 years and honestly paid high taxes. You will be subject to an additional fine, and even called a bad word,” the economist concluded.

In 2015, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has approved the idea to return to the legislation of the republic the norm on punishment for parasitism. In accordance with the decree, non-working citizens of Belarus must pay a tax once a year, the amount of which is 20 of basic values ​​(one basic value is slightly more than $ 10).

This law led to protests in several cities of Belarus.

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