Lukashists Are Scouting For ‘Parasites’ Across Country

Even those who have gone abroad are bothering them.

The commissions for 'parasites' are collecting information across the country on employment in order to update their bases of 'dependents'. They want employment confirmation also from those who've been abroad for more than 30 days, as well as those who have lost their jobs, according to Zerkalo.

The database for 'parasites' is updated once a quarter. Documents that confirm employment must be submitted to the Commissions for 'Dependants' by April 21 (July 21, October 21 and January 21, accordingly). The database will include those who cannot confirm employment for January-March this year.

“Capable of working citizens who are not employed in the economy, as well as dismissed and unemployed capable of working citizens who left Belarus for a period of more than 30 calendar days in a row, are to pay utility bills at full rates,” the Mahiliou officials specified.

Recall that those who went abroad for more than 30 days, even if they work or study abroad, have been considered 'parasites' since March last year. But there is an exception, this innovation does not apply to those who work or study in the EAEU countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. Other exceptions are treatment and business trips.

The database of the citizens "not employed in the economy" was updated in March 2022. It included those who could not confirm employment for October-December 2022.

Those who were included in the database and who own housing will be charged at economically justified rates for gas supply, heating and water heating. Payments for the last two services will be especially sensitive: about 6 times more expensive for 'parasites'.

Recall that with regard to the payment for housing and public utility services at 'parasite' rates, then one of the main points is whether the owner of the housing got into the database of those not employed in the economy or not. “If the owner is in the database of those who are not employed in the economy, then not only the individual will pay for the consumed housing and communal services at economically justified rates, but also all the rest registered in the housing, who also fell into the database. They are to 'follow' the owner," a representative of one of the commissions for 'parasites' said earlier.

For example, five people are registered in an apartment. The owner is considered employed in the economy, and all other family members are not. In this case, everyone pays for housing and communal services at reduced rates. But if the owner of the apartment is also considered to be a 'parasite', then all those who are not employed in the economy will have to pay bills at economically justified rates.

A new tax for 'parasites' was implemented this year

Belarus actually adopted, as announced, a new tax for 'parasites' this year. 'Parasites' are those whom officials consider not employed in the economy. But not all dependents will pay this tax.

The Ministry of Taxes and Duties previously reported that the updated Tax Code introduced significant changes to checks on the expenses and incomes of individuals who have been unemployed in the economy for more than five years.

The taxation authorities are now conducting a new way of checking the correspondence of expenses to the incomes of individuals who have been unemployed in the economy for at least five years and are included in the database for 'parasites'. To put it simply, we are talking about those who, according to officials, have had no official employment for more than five years and did not participate in financing state expenses. The law was amended especially for these citizens. Their incomes and expenses are to be checked.

When checking the income and expenses of such “parasites”, donated funds, loans received, as well as money transferred for storage will not be taken into account.

An exception was made for income received from relatives, including parents, children, spouses, siblings and grandparents. But such income should not be associated with business activity. However, there are also limitations. The total amount of the income from relatives should not exceed 100 base values (today it is BYR 3,700) during the year, otherwise, you will have to pay income tax at a rate of 10%. This fee will be calculated from the excess outcome. In fact, we can talk about the introduction of a new tax for 'parasites'.

Recall that there is a so-called tax on debts in Belarus. It is subject to income tax on loans from individuals who are not individual entrepreneurs, as well as from foreign organizations (which do not operate in Belarus through a permanent establishment), and foreign individual entrepreneurs. The tax amounts to 13%. The previously paid income tax is to be returned upon the full debt repayment.

If the money for purchases was borrowed by close relatives and this is reflected in the asset and income disclosure, then you do not need to pay tax regardless of the amount of the loan. But now they decided to subject 'parasites' to this tax.