Will Belarus Tighten Control Over Toll Payment?

The Ministry of Finance says there's no more money for repairing roads.

It is proposed to tighten control over toll payment in Belarus, Finance Minister Maksim Yarmalovich said yesterday at the first reading of the budget in the "house of representatives", answering the questions of the deputies, BelTA informs.

"The government suggested to keep the current system of payment of state duty (for issuing permission to allow the vehicle to participate in the traffic. - BelTA note) and strengthen control over its payment, because we understand that a significant part of the population does not pay the toll. We have no other source to finance the cost of road construction of both national and local roads, as well as to fulfill the obligations on external loans, raised for modernizing major highways," - Maksim Yarmalovich said.

He pointed out that there is no alternative to the road toll, as it is not possible to finance the roads through social spending. "It is wrong and unfair towards public sector employees to take social expenses in order to maintain the transport infrastructure. This will definitely lead to a decrease in the quality of public services," - the Minister said.

According to Maksim Yarmalovich, if the decree proposed by the government is adopted, the total amount of collected toll may increase noticeably. However, this will happen only by strengthening control, because the amount of payments will not be changed, but will be reduced under a certain scheme of paying state toll, he stressed.