COUNTRY FACT SHEET
BELARUS
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COUNTRY FACT SHEET
Table of Contents Table of Contents I. General Information II. Religion III. Economy IV. Transportation and infrastructure V. Labour Market 1. Workers’ rights VI. Banking system VII. Health 1. Social insurance and the social assistance system 2. Marriage VIII. Education IX. Travel documents X. Communications 1. Telecommunication 2. Postal services 3. Media XI. Useful links
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COUNTRY FACT SHEET I. General Information • • • • • • • • • • •
Population: 9,612,632 (July 2010 est.) Area: 207,600 sq km Capital: Minsk Head of State: President Alexander LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) GDP/capita: $13,400 (2010 est.) Religions: Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim) 20% (2010 est.) Official language: Belarusian 36.7%, Russian 62.8% Other languages: 0.5% (includes small Polish and Ukrainian speaking minorities) (1999 census) Ethnic Groups: Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, (2009 census) Life expectancy: 70.92 years Monetary unit: Belarusian ruble (BYR)
After seven decades as a constituent Republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties with Russia than any of the other former Soviet Republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a twostate union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. The President of Belarus is the country’s head of state. His authority is established and defined by the Belarus Constitution and by the Presidential Act of the Republic of Belarus. The Belarusian President is directly elected by the people of Belarus for a 5-year term of office. Any Belarusian citizen over the age of 18 can vote in the elections. Since his election in July 1994 as the country’s first President, Alexander Lukashenko has consolidated power steadily in the executive branch through authoritarian means and has dominated all branches of government. In November 1996, he used a referendum to amend the 1994 constitution, which broadened his powers and extended his term in office. The Belarusian opposition, human rights organizations and several foreign observers claimed that the referendum was carried out with numerous violations. Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) noted that the presidential election on 19 March 2006 and 19 December 2010 failed to meet international standards. The elections were characterized by a disregard for the basic rights of freedom of assembly, association and expression, and they included a highly flawed vote count. The Parliament of Belarus is known as the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus. It acts as the representative and legislative body of the Republic of Belarus. The Belarus Parliament consists of 2 chambers: • the House of Representatives • the Council of the Republic The House of Representatives meets for 2 regular sessions every year. Extraordinary sessions can be called by a presidential decree. In Belarus, Parliament serves a 4-year term.
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COUNTRY FACT SHEET According to the OSCE/ODIHR, the parliamentary elections in October 2000, local elections in March 2003 and parliamentary elections in October 2004 failed to meet international democratic standards. The next parliamentary elections were held in late September 2008. Despite public assurances by the Belarusian authorities that the elections would be “unprecedentedly” democratic and transparent, the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission again determined that the elections fell short of OSCE standards. The Belarusian Government – or Council of Ministers – is comprised of the Prime Minister of Belarus, his deputies and ministers. The Government is accountable to the President of the Republic of Belarus and answerable to the Parliament. The Prime Minister is proposed by the President and approved by Parliament. Government powers are determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. The current Constitution was drafted in 1994 and amended in 1996 and 2004. It is also known as the Fundamental Law of the State and is the 5th Constitution in Belarusian history. The Belarus Constitution centres around 3 key elements: • the regulation of rights and freedoms • the establishment of a new state mechanism • the reworking of new laws and a new justice system According to the Belarus Constitution, the people of Belarus have the following rights: • the right to health care (free in state institutions) • the right to social welfare for the elderly, sick, disabled and non-earning households • the right to a free general education for all • the right to free professional technical training Under the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, judicial power in the country belongs to the court system. The court system is split into 3 main groups: • general courts • economic courts • the Constitutional Court All court proceedings have to follow the established system. Emergency courts cannot be set up under any circumstances. General courts in Belarus deal with civil, criminal and administrative cases, as well as cases involving military personnel. Belarus’ general courts include: • the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus • regional courts • Minsk City Court • town courts • military courts Belarus’ economic court system exists to protect the economic and business interests of individuals and legal entities – including foreign parties. Belarus’ economic courts include: • the Supreme Economic Court of the Republic of Belarus • regional economic courts • Minsk City Economic Court The main purpose of the Belarus Constitutional Court is to ensure that new legislation and statutes are drawn up in accordance with the Constitution. The Constitutional Court is made up of 12 high-level legal experts. Six of the judges are appointed by the President of Belarus, and the remaining 6 are elected by the Council of the Republic. The Chair of the 4
COUNTRY FACT SHEET Court is directly appointed by the President of Belarus and approved by the Council. The term of office for a Constitutional Court judge is 11 years. II. Religion The constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the authorities restrict this right in practice. Although Article 16 of the 1996 amended constitution reaffirms the equality of religions and denominations before the law, it also contains restrictive language stipulating that cooperation between the state and religious organizations “is regulated with regard for their influence on the formation of spiritual, cultural, and country traditions of the Belarusian people.” The government also restricts religious freedom in accordance with the provisions of a 2002 law on religion and a 2003 concordat with the Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC), a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the only officially recognized Orthodox denomination. Although there is no state religion, the concordat grants the BOC privileged status. Protestants, in particular, have attracted negative attention. Numerous anti-Semitic acts and attacks on religious monuments, buildings and cemeteries have occurred with little discernable response from the government. Authorities have kept many religious communities waiting as long as several years for decisions about property registration or restitution. Authorities have also harassed and fined members of certain religious groups, especially those that the authorities appear to regard as bearers of foreign cultural influence or as having a political agenda. Foreign missionaries, clergy and humanitarian workers affiliated with churches have faced many government-imposed obstacles, including deportation and visa refusal or cancellation. III. Economy Belarus has seen limited structural reform since 1995. Since 2005, the government has re-nationalized a number of private companies. Continued state control over economic operations hampers market entry for both domestic and foreign businesses. Government statistics indicate GDP growth was strong in 2008, surpassing 10%, despite the hindrance of a tough, centrally directed economy with a high rate of inflation and a low rate of unemployment. However, the global crisis pushed the country into recession in 2009, and GDP grew only 0.2% for the year. Slumping foreign demand hit the industrial sector hard. Minsk has depended on a standby-arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to assist with balance of payments shortfalls. In line with IMF conditions, in 2009, Belarus devalued the ruble more than 40% and tightened some fiscal and monetary policies. On 1 January 2010, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus launched a customs union, with unified trade regulations and customs codes that are still under negotiation. In late January, Russia and Belarus amended their 2007 oil supply agreement. The new terms raised prices for above quota purchases, increasing Belarus’ current account deficit. GDP grew 4.8% in 2010, in part on the strength of renewed export growth. In December 2010, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement to form a Common Economic Space and Russia removed all Belarusian oil duties. During 2003-2008, a growth rate of real GDP was above 8%. In 2009, the world financial crisis also affected the Belarus economy – the real GDP growth rate reached 0.2% in terms of Belarusian rubles. However, the IMF had forecasted a decline of this indicator by 1.2%. In Russia, for example, the decrease of real GDP was 7.9% in 2009, and in Ukraine the fall of this indicator reached 15.9% (3rd quarter 2009). In 2009, the GDP of Belarus was 136.8 trillion Belarusian rubles. Russia is the single largest partner for Belarus in the economic and political fields. In 5
COUNTRY FACT SHEET terms of trade, one-third of Belarusian exports go to Russia. Due to the structure of Belarusian industry, Belarus relies heavily on other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries and Russia in particular, both for export markets and for the supply of raw materials, subsidized energy and components. The steep increase in the price of natural gas in 2007, as well as higher tariffs on Russian-sourced oil and oil products, has contributed to a crisis in the Belarusian economy, forcing the regime to cut popular subsidies and borrow from outside sources to finance the budget. Belarus received a $1.5 billion stabilization loan in late 2007 and a $2 billion loan in late 2008 from Russia. The major natural resources in Belarus include forests, peat deposits, potash, small deposits of oil and natural gas. The main agriculture products include grain, potatoes, vegetables, flax, beef, and milk. The main industrial sectors include machinery and transport equipment, chemical products, fabrics, and consumer goods. In 2009, Belarus exported and imported the following items, primarily from the countries listed below. Exports – $24.8 billion (refined petroleum, potash fertilizers, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals, and textiles). Major markets – Russia, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Great Britain, Ukraine and Latvia. Imports – $30.4 billion (mineral products, machinery and equipment, metals, crude oil and natural gas, chemicals, foodstuffs). Major suppliers – Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Italy, Lithuania, China. The country’s economic growth has been robust and has largely followed a pro-poor path. An EU institution recently observed that the growth structure in Belarus has been much more beneficial for labour, compared to other CIS countries. Growth in labour-intensive sectors coupled with wage and income policies have helped to ensure that the benefits of recent growth have been broadly shared by the population. The government has placed a strong emphasis on maintaining pro-poor growth and high employment rates. By contrast, the country’s seemingly good employment performance has likely been due to the postponement of reforms and cheap energy, both of which have supported lowproductivity growth. Since 1995, real wages have largely outpaced the modest increases in labour productivity. Though causing inflation, in the longer run the wage increases have contributed to the maintenance of minimum living standards for a substantial share of the population. Yet, the wage increases may also have lowered workers’ incentives to advocate economic reforms. IV. Transportation and infrastructure Belarus has a total of six provinces, which are also known as oblasts or voblasts. The six provinces in Belarus are as follows: • Brest Province • Homyel Province • Hrodna Province • Mahilyow Province • Minsk Province • Vitsebsk Province In 2009, the urbanisation rate in Belarus stood at 73.8% of the total population, a particularly high rate in an international context. Previous rates included 56% in 1980, 66% in 1990, 70% in 2000 and 72.4% in 2006, implying a long-term increase, though slowing down 6
COUNTRY FACT SHEET from an average of 0.9% point annual growth in the 1980s to 0.4% point annual growth in the late 2000s. International sources do not expect further urbanisation; however, recent reports from the national statistical bureau seem to point towards further urban growth. By far the largest city is Minsk, with a population of almost 1.8 million people. There are several ways of travelling between towns in Belarus, with trains and buses being the most common means of transport. Buses are slightly faster and cheaper, but trains are generally more comfortable. Tickets and timetables are available at respective train and bus terminals. There are total of 5,537 km of railways and 94,797 km of roadways in Belarus. There are 67 airports in Belarus (35 of which have paved runways). There are very few domestic flights in Belarus and they are not very frequent – once or twice a week. • Belarusian Railway - http://www.rw.by Passenger service of the Belarusian Railway Address: ul. Lenina, 17, Minsk, 220030 (+375 17) 225-47-04; fax: 225-46-21 Inquiry desk of the station building at Minsk-Passazhirsky Station (+375 17) 225-70-00 Inquiry bureau (Minsk) - 105 INFORMATION (+375 17) 225-44-77 (from 1 pm to 3 pm on working days) Ticket reservation by phone (for Minsk citizens only): (+375 17) 225-70-51 Ticket delivery within Minsk: (+375 17) 225-62-46 •
Minsk National Airport - http://airport.by
(+375 17) 279 13 00 (+375 17) 279 17 30 Minsk National Airport is the main air gateway to the Republic of Belarus and is ideally located at the intersection of the primary lines that connect Western Europe with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Flights from Belarus travel to more than 37 international destinations throughout Western Europe, the Middle East and other regions. •
Belavia (Belarusian Airlines) - http://belavia.by
There is an extensive domestic flight network operated by the national airline, Belavia, and other airlines. V. Labour Market Wages in Belarus are set highly administrative and centralized. The tariff system is binding in the so-called budget (state) sector, as said covering about 805 of employees; the small private sector has little wage autonomy. In the budget sector, wages are determined in three steps: on the basis of a tariff scale, a tariff rate of the first grade and a tariff qualification guide. The guide contains detailed characteristics and the ranking orders of professions and types of labour. The ratio between the highest and lowest wages in the tariff scale would be over 8:1, but because of the fact that the lowest nine classes receive state subsidies, this ratio is lowered to about 5:1. Seniority rules are also important in 7
COUNTRY FACT SHEET Belarus’s wage structure. In December 2010, the average monthly wage was 1,595,870 Belarusian rubles ($530). From 1 January 2011, the minimum monthly wage equals 460,000 BYR ($138), and hourly – 2,710 BYR ($0.8). The law establishes a standard workweek of 40 hours and provides for at least one 24hour rest period per week. Although the situation improved during the reporting period, many workers worked considerably less than 40 hours per week, due to the country’s difficult economic situation, and factories often required workers to take unpaid leave, resulting from a lack of demand for the factories’ products. The law provides for mandatory overtime and holiday pay, and it restricts overtime to four hours every two days, with a maximum of 120 hours of overtime each year. According to sources, the government was believed to enforce these standards effectively. For Belarus, standard working hours vary according to industry and not by gender. In 2008, for example, average monthly hours for agriculture were set at 177 and for all other industries at 155. The law establishes minimum conditions for workplace safety and workers’ health; however, employers often ignore these standards. Workers at many heavy machinery plants do not wear minimal safety gear. There is a state labour inspectorate, but it lacks the authority to enforce employer compliance and often ignores violations. International sources conclude that state employees constitute approximately 80% of the country’s workforce. The number of privately owned enterprises in Belarus remains small. In 2008, there were approximately 51,000 registered small enterprises, of which around 39,000 were fully operational. As a consequence, small enterprises account for modest levels of employment (about 440,000 in 2008, or 10%), which also means that their contribution to economic development is limited. Even if the 2008 figure of 212,000 registered individual employers (entrepreneurs) is added (nearly 5% of the employed), the level of entrepreneurship per head of population in Belarus is below that of most other CIS countries, including Russia and Ukraine. By 2008, 4.9 million people of the total population of Belarus were classified as economically active. Only 0.5% of those considered economically active – i.e. 25,100 people – were aged 65 or older. In 2008, the economically active portion of the population was about 290,000 greater than all of those in employment, bringing total unemployment (including discouraged workers and others not officially registered as unemployed) to about 6%. This is higher than the official unemployment rate, based on those who are registered as unemployed with the agencies for labour, employment and social protection, at 0.8% overall by the end of 2008 – 0.7% for (14,700) men and 1.0% for (22,600) women, but still rather low. In spite of the global crisis, the official unemployment in 2009 grew only marginally: by the end of the year, the numbers were 17,300 for men and 23,000 for women. As before under worsening conditions, companies chose to retain their employees in service with shortened working hours and reduced wages rather than laying them off; obviously, the old practice of forcing employees to take leave without pay has been replaced by a “modern” form of flexibility using temporary contracts. In the 2000s, official unemployment initially rose to 3.1% in 2003, due to growing female unemployment (3.9% in 2003). Demand in the early 2000s was still orientated towards traditional “male” occupations, primarily in manufacturing. With the change in Belarus’s 8
COUNTRY FACT SHEET growth pattern towards services, the “male-biased” demand for labour withered away, as did the female overrepresentation in unemployment. In 2008, 45% of the official figure of unemployed females was in the 16-29 age range, against 35% of the unemployed males – about the same shares discernible throughout the 2000s. Official unemployment among higher-educated women had significantly decreased in the 2000s, from about two in three unemployed in the early 2000s to less than half in 2008, a trend that was less clear among unemployed men. 1. Workers’ rights The law allows workers, aside from state security and military personnel, to form and join independent unions; however, in practice the government does not respect this right. The government suppresses independent unions in order to stop union activities and bring all union activity fully under its control. The government-controlled Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB) is the largest union, claiming an estimated four million members. The BCDTU, with four constituent unions and approximately ten thousand members of independent trade unions, is the largest independent union umbrella organization. There are no special laws or exemptions from regular labour laws in the country’s six free economic zones. The law prohibits forced or compulsory labour; however, there are reports that women, men, and children have been trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labour. In 2010, the government approved “subbotniks,” which required employees of the government, state enterprises, and many private businesses to work on Saturdays and to donate their earnings to finance government social projects. The law forbids the exploitation of children in the workplace, including a prohibition on forced and compulsory labour, and it specifies policies for acceptable working conditions. The government has generally implemented these laws in practice. The minimum age for employment is 16; however, a child as young as age 14 may conclude a labour contract with the written consent of one parent or a legal guardian. VI. Banking system The banking system of Belarus consists of 2 levels: The 1st level is formed by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus, which operates as the Central Bank of Belarus. The 2nd level includes commercial banks and non-bank credit and financial organizations. As of 01 October 2009, there are 32 banks in Belarus and 4 of them are owned by the state. 25 banks have foreign capital in their share capital, 9 are 100% foreign banks and in 2 banks only one share belongs to a resident of Belarus. •
BPS-Bank
Post address: 6, Muliavin Blvd., Minsk 220005 Tel: (+375 17) 289-41-48 Fax: (+375 17) 210-03-42 E-mail: inbox@bpsb.by Web-site: www.bpsb.by •
Belarusbank 9
COUNTRY FACT SHEET Post address: 32 Myasnikov str., 220050 Minsk Tel: +375 (17) 289 38 14 Fax: +375 (17) 226 47 50 E-mail: info@belarusbank.by, Web-site: http://belarusbank.by/ •
Belvnesheconombank
Post address: 32 Myasnikova str., 220050 Minsk Tel: (375 17) 209 29 44 Fax: (375 17) 226 48 09 E-mail: interdep@bveb.minsk.by, office@bveb.minsk.by, Web-site: http://www.bveb.by •
Belinvestbank
Post address: 29 Masherova Ave., 220002 Minsk Tel: + 375 17 2892812, + 375 17 2893589 Fax: + 375 17 2893670 E-mail: belbb@belinvestbank.by, Web-site: http://www.belinvestbank.by •
Belgazprombank
Post address: 60/2 Pritytskogo St., 220121 Minsk Tel: (+375-17) 229-16-29, (+375-17) 229-16-61 Fax: (+375 17) 206 79 30 E-mail: bank@bgpb.by, Web-site: http://www.belgazprombank.by •
Belagroprombank
Post address: 220036, Minsk, 3 Zhukov Аve. Tel: (+375 17) 218 57 77 Fax: (+375 17) 218 57 14 E-mail: info@belapb.by, Web-site: http://www.belapb.by VII. Health Health care benefits in Belarus are extensive. All health care costs are covered by the state and there is no rationing of services in the state sector. Efforts to reorientate financial resources from the hospital sector to primary care and to introduce technical efficiency have been slow. The basic characteristics of the USSR system remain in place, and the hospital sector is still dominant. Though the health system has been effective in lowering the infant and maternal mortality rate, this overshadows health promotion activities relating to non-communicable diseases or ill health. The traditional high priority given to maternal and child health has remained. Couples and individuals in Belarus have the right to decide the number, spacing and timing of children, and they have the information and means to do so free from discrimination. Access to information on contraception and skilled attendance at delivery and in postpartum care are widely available.
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COUNTRY FACT SHEET Women and men are given equal access to diagnostic services and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. The Belarusian health care system aims to provide the entire population with universal access to care, which according to the Constitution is free at the point of use. The Ministry of Health (http://minzdrav.by) and local health departments provide general supervision and coordinate medical care. Government clinics, hospitals, maternity homes and other facilities provide medical services; the Ministry of Health and local health departments administer medical services. Key public health challenges relate to the high levels of alcohol consumption and smoking in Belarus. By the end of 2007, there were an estimated 13,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS in Belarus, or 158-180 per 100,000 of the adult population, according to statistics compiled by international organizations. Most new HIV infections are being reported in and around Minsk and in the provinces of Brest and Vitebsk. The epidemic is largely concentrated among injecting drug users, with a high HIV prevalence found in this population. With HIV prevalence of about 1% found among female sex workers, unsafe paid sex appears to be a minor factor in the epidemic. About one in ten sex workers also injected drugs in 2006, although condom use levels were relatively high (in 2006, 70% of sex workers said they used a condom at last paid sex). More generally, public information in Belarus about the spread of HIV/AIDS seems rather limited. With 34% in 2007, the proportion of 15-24-yearold females with comprehensive, accurate knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS was moderate; a comparable figure for their male peers is lacking. With assistance from international organizations, a wide range of harm reduction initiatives has been introduced to slow the spread of HIV. While the long-term health impact of the Chernobyl disaster is still hotly contested in the international arena, there is a widely held belief in Belarus that the disaster has caused a significant increase in cancers and other diseases among the population. However, research has shown that the Chernobyl accident has only contributed to significant increases in thyroid cancer. It seems that the largest public health problem created by the accident has been the impact on mental health for those affected. 1. Social insurance and the social assistance system Social insurance and the social assistance system cover all employed persons permanently residing in Belarus. There are special systems for aviators, teachers, artists, professional athletes, government employees, specific categories of medical personnel and persons injured in the Chernobyl accident. The system is financed by insured persons (1% of earnings), self-employed persons (29% of declared income), employers (5% to 28% payroll according to the type of industry and business) and the government (cost of social pensions and subsidies). The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (http://mintrud.gov.by) and its local offices administer the programmes. Some programmes are administered by the Social Protection Fund of the Population (http://www.ssf.gov.by) of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. The Belarusian Republican Unitary Insurance Company, Belgostrakh, (http:// www.bgs.by) administers the work-related accidents and occupational diseases insurance programme. Old age pension In order to qualify for an old age pension, an individual has to be at least 60 years old with at least 25 years of coverage including at least 5 years of paid contributions for men, and at least 55 years old with at least 20 years of coverage including at least 5 years of paid 11
COUNTRY FACT SHEET contributions for women. Qualifying conditions are reduced for war veterans, parents of children with disabilities, persons with disabilities since childhood, mothers of five or more children, and mothers of soldiers killed in action. A partial pension is paid if the insured does not fulfill the coverage requirements for a full old age pension. A constant-attendance supplement is paid if the insured requires the constant attendance of others to perform daily functions. Benefits are payable abroad under a reciprocal agreement. The monthly pension is 55% of the wage base plus 1% of the wage base (but not less than 1% of the minimum old age pension) for each year of coverage over 25 years for men and 20 years for women, with an additional 1% of the wage base for each year of coverage exceeding 10 years in hazardous work (7.5 years for women), of up to 20%. The minimum pension is 25% of the national average subsistence income level plus 15% of the national average wage. The maximum pension is 75% of the wage base. Benefits are adjusted when the average wage increases by more than 15% a quarter. In the case of a partial pension, the monthly benefit is reduced in proportion to the number of years of coverage less the amount required for a full pension. The minimum partial pension is 50% of the minimum pension, with 100% of the minimum pension for mothers of at least 5 children. The constant-attendance supplement is 50% of the minimum old age pension and is paid for a pensioner aged 80 or older who requires care, regardless of the age for single pensioners. Disability pension A disability pension is paid for a group I disability (total disability requiring constant attendance), a group II disability (total disability) or a group III disability (partial disability), with at least 1 to 15 years of covered employment, depending on the insured’s age when the disability began. Expert medical rehabilitation commissions assess the degree of disability. The Group I disability pension is 75% of the wage base, the Group II disability pension is 65% of the wage base and the Group III disability pension is 40% of the wage base. The wage base is determined by the Council of Ministers. The minimum disability pension is 100% of the minimum old age pension for Groups I and II and 50% of the minimum old age pension for Group III. The minimum old age pension is 25% of the national average subsistence income level plus 15% of the national average wage. The social disability pension (social assistance) is 85% of the national average subsistence income level for a Group I disability, 75% for a Group II disability that began in childhood, 65% for a Group II disability that began in adulthood and 55% for a Group III disability. For children younger than age 18 with disabilities, the pension is 60% to 85% of the national average subsistence income level, depending on the assessed disability. Expert medical rehabilitation commissions assess the degree of disability. Survivor pension A survivor pension is paid if the deceased was the head of the household. Eligible survivors include a dependent spouse; children, siblings and grandchildren younger than 18 years (23 years if a student, no limit if disabled before the age of 18); the insured’s parents if they are of pensionable age, disabled, or care for a child younger than 8 and do not work and dependent grandparents. 40% of the wage base is paid for each eligible survivor, with 50% for full orphans. The wage base is determined by the Council of Ministers. The minimum pension is 100% of 12
COUNTRY FACT SHEET the minimum old age pension and is 200% for the loss of both parents or the death of a single mother. The minimum old age pension is 25% of the national average subsistence income level plus 15% of the national average wage. Funeral pension A funeral grant is paid to aid the person who pays for the funeral. The funeral grant (social insurance) lump sum equals the national average wage in the month before the date of the death. Benefit adjustment: benefits are adjusted when the national average wage increases by more than 15%. Social orphan’s pension (social assistance): 65% of the national average subsistence income level is paid. Social pension A social pension is paid to nonworking citizens who are not eligible for an old age, disability or survivor pension and are at least age 60 years for men or age 55 years for women, disabled since childhood, younger than age 18 and disabled, or orphans younger than the age of 18 (no limit if disabled before the age of 18). Sickness and maternity The social insurance (cash benefits) and universal (medical benefits) system covers all persons residing in Belarus who are in covered employment or in military service, as well as registered unemployed women (maternity benefits only). Unemployed women must be in receipt of an unemployment benefit. Sickness benefit is 80% of the insured’s average earnings for the first 6 days of incapacity, and thereafter is 100%. The monthly maximum benefit is 300% of the national average wage in the month before the incapacity began. The benefit is also paid at 100% of the insured’s average earnings for the insured to provide care for a sick child younger than the age of 14 for up to 14 days or for periods of hospitalization as recommended by a doctor. Employed women receive maternity benefit equal to 100% of average monthly earnings; students on leave from employment receive 100% of the education grant, and unemployed women receive 100% of the unemployment benefit. The monthly minimum benefit is 50% of the national average subsistence income level. The monthly maximum benefit is 3 times the national average wage in the month before childbirth and maternity leave. Benefits are paid for 126 calendar days (140 calendar days in the case of complications or multiple births). For the adoption of a child younger than 3 months, the benefit is paid for 70 days, starting from the date of the adoption. A lump sum of the average subsistence income level is paid during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Medical Benefits Medical services are provided directly by government health providers and include general and specialist care, hospitalization, prostheses, medication and other medical care services. Employed persons, prisoners working in prison workshops, persons employed based on a civil or notarised agreement and students engaged in vocational training are all insured against work injuries. Work injury benefits are reduced by up to 25% if the work injury is deemed to be caused by gross negligence on the part of the insured. 13
COUNTRY FACT SHEET
Temporary Disability Benefits Temporary disability benefit is based on the insured’s adjusted earnings before the certification of disability and according to the assessed loss of working capacity. The benefit is paid from the first day of incapacity until recovery or certification of permanent disability. The adjusted monthly earnings must not be less than 60% of the national average monthly wage. Permanent Disability Benefits Permanent disability pension is based on the insured’s adjusted monthly earnings before the disability began and according to the assessed loss of working capacity. The adjusted monthly earnings used to calculate the pension must not be less than 60% of the national average monthly wage. Earnings-related benefits for work injury or occupational diseases may be paid in addition to other pensions. Survivor Benefits If the insured’s death is the result of a work injury or an occupational disease, a monthly pension is paid. Eligible survivors are the widow(er), survivors younger than 18 years (23 years if a student), old age pensioners, disabled persons, one of the insured’s parents, and other nonworking relatives with dependents younger than the age of 14 or disabled. Eligible survivors are the widow(er), regardless of working capacity, survivors younger than 18 years (23 years if a student), old age pensioners, disabled persons, one of the insured’s parents, and other nonworking relatives with dependents younger than the age of 14 or disabled. The benefit is split equally among all eligible survivors. Unemployment The insured must be unemployed, of working-age and residing in Belarus. The insured must register at the state employment office as unemployed (must not be enrolled in a day-programme at an educational institute, enlisted in military or government service or engaged in a business pursuit), and be able and willing to work. Unemployment must be involuntary. 70% of average earnings of all employees at the last place of employment are paid for the first 13 weeks and 50% for the next 13 weeks for those who were employed full-time (or employed for at least 12 weeks in the last 12-month period). For an unemployed person who had more than 12 months of covered employment (but fewer than 12 weeks of paid work in the last 12 months) or for workers returning to work after a period of interruption longer than 12 months but with at least 12 months of covered employment, the benefit is 100% of the wage base for the first 13 weeks and 75% for the next 13 weeks. For an unemployed person who is a first time job seeker or for an unemployed person who has had a prolonged interruption from work and who has worked for less than a year in total, the benefit is 85% of the wage base for 13 weeks and 70% for the next 13 weeks. For an unemployed person who is ineligible for regular unemployment benefits, but was gainfully employed in public works for at least 22 days, the benefit is 100% of the wage base for the first 13 weeks and 75% of the wage base for the next 13 weeks. The maximum benefit is twice the wage base. Family Allowances Family allowances are paid for all children younger than 3 years and for children aged 3 to 16 (18 years if a student and not receiving an education grant) if their families’ monthly 14
COUNTRY FACT SHEET income does not exceed 80% of the national average subsistence income level as of September in the previous year. Families caring for a child aged 3 to 18 with a disability are not subject to a means test and receive full benefits. Family allowances for a child younger than 3 years constitute monthly allowances of 100% of the national average subsistence income level for non-working women and are 50% for women employed more than 50% or with a child in kindergarten. For a child aged 3 or older, 30% of the national average subsistence income level is paid for each child whose family income does not exceed 60% of the national average subsistence income level for September of the previous year; 50% of the benefit is paid if the family income is 61% to 80% of the national average subsistence income level for September of the previous year. Sick childcare allowance Sick childcare allowance is paid for a child younger than 14 years in outpatient care or a child younger than the age of 5 if hospitalized. Sick childcare allowance of 100% of the salary of the parent who cares for the child is paid for up to 14 days for outpatient care and is without limit for hospitalization. Disabled childcare allowance Disabled childcare allowance is paid to nonworking persons who are not pensioners and who care for a child younger than 18 years with a disability. 65% of the national average subsistence income level is paid. Additional monthly allowances Additional monthly allowances are paid for children under certain conditions. 75% of the national average subsistence income level is paid for children up to age 18 months with an unmarried mother, 40% for children from the age of 18 months to the age of 3 with an unmarried mother. A single parent not receiving alimony receives 40% the national average subsistence income level for each child until 16 years (18 years if a student). Families with children younger than 18 years with disabilities as well as wives of soldiers on regular duty receive 40% of the national average subsistence income level. Each child younger than 18 years diagnosed with HIV or AIDS receives 45% of the national average subsistence income level. Birth grant Birth grant is paid for the birth of a child. A lump sum of 500% of the national average subsistence income level is paid for the first child, with 700% for subsequent children. The national average subsistence income level is 266,230 rubles a month. Additional grants are paid for multiple births and for famiÂŹlies with several children. 2. Marriage The legal minimum age for marriage is 18 years for both women and men. This minimum age can be lowered by a maximum of three years in the case of pregnancy or the emancipation of a minor. Therefore, early marriage does occur, but it is relatively uncommon. A 2004 United Nations report estimated that 6% of girls between 15 and 19 years of age were married, divorced or widowed. In that year, only 2.4% of households were run by a person younger than 25 years of age. The share of all live births by mothers under 20 is rather low 15
COUNTRY FACT SHEET and is continuously decreasing: from 14.3% in 1995 to 8.5% in 2006. In 2006, the mean age for women at the birth of their first child was 24.0 years. VIII. Education There are two official languages within the education system in Belarus: Russian and Belarusian. The Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus (http://www.minedu. unibel.by) is a republican organ of government that pursues governmental policies in the field of education, provides regulation, management and governmental monitoring in the sphere of education as well as coordination of the related activities performed by the republican organs of government. Pre-school education is not compulsory in Belarus but around 70% of children do attend nursery or kindergarten before they start school. Most children in Belarus start school at the age of 6. All pupils must follow the basic education curriculum up to the age of 15, and the vast majority of pupils stay at school until they finish their high school education at 18. Primary education is included in what is called general secondary education, including primary school (years 1-4), basic school (years 5-9) and complete secondary education (years 10-11). After finishing basic school, vocational training as well as education at specialized institutions can be pursued. Education is free, universal and compulsory for 10 years from the entrance age of 6 (primary school, preschool is not compulsory) until graduation at the age of 15. As a matter of fact, in 2005 school life expectancy was 10.4 years for both sexes, which is somewhat longer than compulsory duration, showing that many pupils stay at school until fully finishing secondary education at the age of 18. At the age of 15, pupils that have successfully completed basic education can attend college or professional technical institutions where they can focus on completing their high school education and work toward a professional certificate. The completion of a high school or professional certificate allows students to apply to continue their education at university level. There are four main types of higher education establishments to choose from, which can be either private or state operated: • classic university • profile university or academy • institute • higher college Most courses run for 5 years and students can choose to study full-time, in evening classes or by correspondence. Grants are available for full-time students and scholarships are awarded to very gifted students. All higher education establishments are governed by the Ministry of Education in Belarus. According to an education ministry directive, educational institutions may expel students who engage in anti-government or unsanctioned political activity and are to maintain the proper ideological education of students. Belarus’s spending on education has fallen since independence, and its high level has not been maintained. From 2000 to 2007, public expenditure on education was 9.3% of total government expenditure, one of the lowest shares in CIS countries. The country’s 16
COUNTRY FACT SHEET education system is centrally managed and controlled. The education minister has the right to appoint and dismiss the heads of private educational institutions. Vocational training (VET) is highly valued and emphasized. The development of new VET standards is currently underway, and is orientated towards broad specialist training. The VET system includes vocational schools, vocational lyceums and vocational colleges. Specialized institutions include technical schools, colleges, schools-colleges of arts, gymnasium-colleges of arts, professional technical colleges, linguistic gymnasiumscolleges and higher colleges. There are altogether 57 higher education establishments, of which 43 are state-owned (among which 28 universities), 13 private and two are run by religious organisations. The government claims that only the very best students can study at the state’s cost; fulltime students with positive grades receive a monthly allowance. Though Belarus does not officially participate in the Bologna process, reforms have been carried out to bring studies in line with a two-level Bachelor and Master system, as is present throughout Europe. At the same time, the old 5-year curriculum in still in use. IX. Travel documents A Belarusian passport is issued to citizens of Belarus and is used for both travelling abroad and internal use. Passports are issued by the Department of Citizenship and Migration in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Republic of Belarus to those who live in Belarus and by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to those citizens who live abroad. How to obtain a passport in Belarus The Department of Citizenship and Migration in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Location: Minsk, Str. Городской Вал, 2 (in the Ministry of Internal Affairs) Reception: 3 Building entrance MIA Reception of citizens of management: on the 1st and 3rd Thursday from 8 am to 1 pm, from 2 pm to 5 pm, on the 2nd Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm Contact Information: Phone: 218-72-36 Fax: 218-76-02 E-mail: dcm@mia.by Forms needed to obtain Belarus passport can be found here: http://mvd.gov.by/main.aspx?guid=3211 How Belarusians can obtain documents in Estonia Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Estonia Address: Magdaleena, 3b, 11312 Tallinn Telephone: + (372) 651 55 00 Fax: + (372) 655 80 01 E-mail: estonia@mfa.gov.by Working time: Monday – Friday 9 am – 1 pm, 2 pm – 6 pm, Opening hours on visa matters: Open: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday Time: 9:30 am – 1 pm (supply visa applications) 3 pm – 4 pm (issuance passports with visas)
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COUNTRY FACT SHEET
Opening hours on matters of citizenship, permanent residence, legalization, notarial acts, issuance and exchange of passports: Open: Thursday Time: 9:30 am – 1 pm X. Communications 1. Telecommunication Belarus has been making progress in recent years in developing its telecommunications sector, after inheriting, upon independence in 1991, a telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient and in disrepair. Currently, fixed telephone density is rising and the domestic trunk system is being improved, though Belarus lags behind its neighbours in upgrading its telecom infrastructure. The coverage of fixed telephone connections per 1,000 of the population has increased from 150 in 1990 and 280 in 2000 to 391 or 3.7 million main lines in use in 2008. The number of mobile phones in use, which was only 5 per 1,000 in 2000, has grown rapidly since the turn of the century, to 905 per 1,000 or nearly 8.7 million mobile phones in 2008. In 2007, mobile cellular networks covered 93% of the population. Most landline telephone lines in Belarus use pulse dialing. Only some of them may also use tone dialing. Calls to subscribers within Belarus are made using different procedures, depending on what type of phone you are calling — landline or mobile. Landline to landline phone: for local numbers, just dial the number. for long distance, dial 8-wait for the dial tone — area code — phone number. Landline to mobile phone: dial 8 — wait for dial tone — 029-XXX-XXXX NOTE: Area codes for mobile phones are 029 and 025. If dialed from abroad, zero is omitted. Mobile phone to mobile phone +375 - area code - number Mobile phone to landline phone +375 – area code – number There are four mobile phone operators in Belarus. One of them operates analog NMT and digital CDMA2000 networks and the other two operate digital GSM. The networks of the providers mainly cover larger cities and highways and are not available in remote rural areas. There is a quite an extensive network of payphones in the primary Belarusian cities. Payphones in Belarus accept only special phone cards and do not accept cash or credit/ debit cards. Phone cards are sold at post offices and in newspaper kiosks. Although several alternative operators have been registered for fixed telephony, the stateowned Beltelcom (Beltelekam) is still the sole provider in this market. Belarus cannot be considered to have anything approaching a liberalised telecom market. The law prohibits authorities from intercepting telephone and other communications without a court order. In practice, authorities monitor residences, telephones and computers. The law allows the 18
COUNTRY FACT SHEET KGB, the Internal Affairs Ministry and certain border guard detachments to use wiretaps, but they must first obtain a warrant from a prosecutor. However, the lack of prosecutorial independence rendered these due process protections meaningless. The Ministry of Communications has the authority to terminate the telephone service of those who breach the law. 2. Postal services Postal services in Belarus are rather reliable. Belarus Post (http://www.belpost.by/) has a network of post offices that covers the entire territory of Belarus. Local mailings are inexpensive and for postcards, letters and small packages (under 0.5 kg) it is less than US$ 0.10. International mailings are also cheap. There is also a network of mailboxes around the country that are for both domestic and international mail. 3. Media The constitution provides for freedom of speech and of the press; however, the government does not respect these rights in practice and has enforced numerous laws to control and censor the media. Authorities videotape political meetings, conduct frequent identity checks and use other forms of intimidation. The new media law as of 8 February 2009 further restricts press freedoms. The law subjects online news sources to the same regulations as print and broadcast media, requires reregistration of already existing media, mandates accreditation of journalists and limits support from foreign organizations. Stateowned media dominates the information field and maintains the highest circulation and viewership. In 2009, the state-owned postal system, Belposhta, and the state owned kiosk system, Belsayuzdruk, continued to refuse to deliver and sell 11 independent newspapers. In 2007, Belposhta removed three popular Russian newspapers (Kommersant, Moskovskiy Komsomolets, and Nezavisimaya Gazeta) from its subscription list. However, other Russian newspapers, including Izvestiya, were distributed. Media analysts asserted that the newspapers were removed because of reporting critical of Lukashenko’s policies. Local authorities frequently warn independent editors and journalists to avoid reporting on certain topics and not to criticize the government. Journalists reporting on the country for international media focus, such as the Polish-funded independent satellite channel, Belsat, and the Polish radio station, Radio Racyja, continue to receive warnings from the prosecutor’s office for working without accreditation. Television TV is the main source of news. The ownership of television sets is undisputedly widespread. It was estimated that in 2007 97% of all households had a television set, a growth of 10% compared to the share in 2000. There are 4 state-controlled national TV channels in Belarus. The main channels are Belarusian TV, Nationwide TV (ONT) and STV (Stolichnoye Televideniye). Polish and Russian TV broadcasts are also available in some areas. They include the Polish-funded, Belarusian-language satellite TV station Belsat. Radio The state-run Belarusian Radio operates 3 national networks and an external service. Russian and Polish radio broadcasts are also available. Newspapers Official newspapers are subsidised, while opposition print media have faced increased charges and have been forced to change name, close down or publish abroad. The main government dailies are Sovetskaya Belorussiya (Russian-language), Respublika (Russian-language), Narodnaya Hazeta (Belarusian-language) and Zvyazda (Belarusian19
COUNTRY FACT SHEET language). Private publications include the business daily BDG Delovaya Gazeta and the embattled opposition papers Nasha Niva and Narodnaya Volya. In late 2008, the authorities took a number of positive steps, including distributing two leading independent newspapers – Nasha Niva and Narodnaya Volya – through state networks, registering the “For Freedom” movement and creating a public council to engage civil society. A new media law came into force in February 2009. The law prohibits Belarusian media outlets from obtaining technical or monetary support from foreign organizations or individuals unless they are co-founders, requires re-registration of most existing media and accreditation of journalists and subjects online news media to the same requirements as print and broadcast media. These restrictions threaten to undermine the last outlets of free speech online in Belarus. Internet All Internet service providers in Belarus operate through a state-controlled portal. At the same time, however, the Internet is used by the opposition to make its voice heard. There were around 4.4 million Internet users by June 2010. On 8 February 2009, a new media law entered into force, and it has been widely criticized by domestic and international NGOs and press advocates. Under the law, the government may legally block any unregistered websites, regardless of their origin. In response to the government’s interference and Internet restrictions, many opposition groups and independent newspapers switched to Internet domains operated outside the country. The few remaining independent media sites with domestic “.by” domains practiced heavy self-censorship. Heavily restrictive requirements on Internet use have been formalised in government Decree 647 of 29 April 2010. From 1 July 2010, it is only possible to go online in an Internet café after the personal identification of the user. All information concerning Internet use has to be stored for one year, and to be shown at the request of the authorities, including the KGB and courts. The content of this decree has once more garnered wide domestic and international criticism.
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XI. Useful links Official Website for the Republic of Belarus http://www.belarus.by Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus CIA - The World Factbook http://www.cia.gov Ministry of Education in Belarus http://www.minedu.unibel.by U.S.Department of State http://www.state.gov BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk Lonely Planet http://www.lonelyplanet.com/belarus NationMaster http://www.nationmaster.com Legislationline http://www.legislationline.org/ Decisions for Life http://dfl.wageindicator.org/home Social Security Online http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssptw/ Belstat http://belstat.gov.by United Nations Development Programme http://www.beta.undp.org
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