Government: $90 per month is enough for Belarusians

A new minimum living wage has been approved in Belarus.

The information was provided by BelTA news agency with a link to the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

The Order of the Council of Minister No. 387 of April 26 2012 sets a new minimum living wage per capita for main social and demographic groups.

The average living wage in May will amount to Br743,020 per month after a 5.1% increase of the level in February-April 2012 (Br706,880).

The living wage equals Br809,440 for working-age population, Br610,370 for pensioners, Br641,890 for children under 3, Br792,700 for children aged between 3 and 6, Br831,170 for children aged between 6 and 18, Br758,530 for university students.

A living wage is an income to meet basic living needs of a person (health care, food, compulsory payments, etc).

Specialists note the structure of the living wage per capita in the prices of March 2012 looks as following: food – 56.4% (Br420,000), housing and utility pays – 7.6% (Br56,000), clothes 22.1% (Br164,000), shareware – 5% (Br37,000), medicines and articles of prime necessity – 2.7% (Br20,000), transportation – 5% (Br37,000), payments – 1.2% (Br9,000).

The minimum wage is quarterly revised by the government on the basis of prices of the last month of each quarter. Under the Law on the Minimum Living Wage in the Republic of Belarus” the living wage is meant for the living standard analysis and prediction, extension of public assistance to low-income citizens (families), provision of minimal state social and labour guarantees.