Commentary to Decree No. 503 of 18 December 2015

    Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed decree No. 503 to introduce amendments and addenda to decree No. 585 “Concerning the provision of state subsidies to young families and families with many children” of 22 November 2007.

    In particular, the size of these subsidies will be increased to:

    40 minimum subsistence wages for young families when they give birth to or adopt the first child or already have one child (now they receive 20 minimum subsistence wages);

    80 minimum subsistence wages for the families when they give birth to or adopt the second child or already have two children (now they receive 40 minimum subsistence wages);

    100 minimum subsistence wages for the families when they give birth to or adopt three and more children or already have three and more children (now they receive 50 minimum subsistence wages);

    The size of subsidies will be calculated taking into account the biggest size of the minimum average subsistence wage per capita in the two quarters of the year preceding the date of obtaining documents necessary for getting state subsidies. From 1 August to 31 October 2015 the minimum subsistence wage totaled Br1.569,130 million; from 1 November 2015 to 31 January 2016 it made up Br1.567,810.

    To streamline the procedure of providing state subsidies, it is envisaged that a young family or a family with many children includes only parents (a mother or a father in a single-parent family) and their children (natural or adopted). The press release of the press service reads that this norm is meant to prevent cases when young families and families with many children apply for state subsidies for repaying loans of their parents or other close relatives.

    Apart from that, these families can use subsidies which they have not used before.

    In accordance with the document, families using more than one loan for the construction or purchase of housing will be also able to get state subsidies. State subsidies will be provided only once.

    The twofold increase in subsidies provided to young families and families with many children will result in the increase of local budget expenses by Br13.3 billion.

    The passing of the decree will reduce the burden on the budgets of young families and families with many children for the period when they have underage children, the press release of the press service reads.