Aleksandr Lukashenko signs Decree on mass media

    On 31 March Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed Decree No. 131 “On the development of mass media”.

    The document seeks to ensure sustainable economic development of national mass media, maintain the production of high-quality content in the required amount.

    The decree introduced a 10% fee for placing outdoor advertising and advertising on transport, and a 20% fee for other types of advertising. The fee shall be calculated on the basis of the price for an advertisement. The fee will be paid by advertisers and will be used to support state-run mass media outlets.

    In addition, the value added tax rate for the provision of data transmission services was revised upwards, from 25% to 26%.

    A reminder, the draft decree regulating advertising in mass media was discussed at a recent meeting hosted by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko. The head of state said that the draft decree had already been considered several times from various sides by the government and the Belarus President Administration. A domestic media measurement system was recently launched in the country to ensure market transparency; a register of advertising distributors was created.

    “The situation has changed dramatically. As a result of the current geopolitical conflict, Russia and Belarus were subjected to a new barrage of predatory sanctions,” the president noted. Such pressure might continue, therefore a decision should be made on how to act in the current situation, the head of state noted.