Decree #3 - Reboot. What changes on parasites were put on the table for the president

An updated decree on parasitism is under consideration by the President - and has not yet been signed. FINANCE.TUT.BY learned from the participants of the interdepartmental working group how the project was discussed, what changes they proposed and how (with a high degree of probability) the updated decree might look like.

Since March, officials have been working on an updated version of the document. Variations of the updated document somehow got into the public domain, but the final version has not yet been signed.

The Ministry of Labor previously reported that Decree No. 3 was undergoing a radical reconstruction, now it is being prepared in a completely new edition.

“It is planned that the decree will be called “On the Promotion of Employment” and will be aimed at ensuring that the authorities provide the maximum possible assistance to those who want to work, so that a person can work or be employed in some kind of job,” said Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection Valery Kovalkov.

Deputy Tamara Krasovskaya , who is a member of the interdepartmental working group, notes that most of the proposals to improve Decree No. 3 that the group considered were reflected in the updated document. And once again emphasizes that the final decision on how Decree No. 3 will look like has not yet been made.

- I believe that the document is ideological in nature and is aimed primarily at promoting employment. This is what the deputies proposed: stimulating employment and self-employment, supporting entrepreneurial initiatives and ensuring the legalization of labor activity.

The document proposes to determine which categories of citizens will be considered not employed in the economy until November 1, 2017. After that, at two levels - local and republican - a database of people not employed in the economy will be formed. It will be updated constantly, and local authorities will be able to correct it.

Tamara Krasovskaya notes that another important proposal of the deputies was included in the draft decree: the government will annually determine the list of territories with special tension in the labor market in order to solve the problem of employment in certain areas.

- Both the regional executive committee and the government will monitor, evaluate the quality and availability of services to promote employment in the regions. But the most important thing is the work of the executive and distributive authorities. It is important to define: if people do not work, then why? To do this, they will be called by local authorities. If retraining is needed, they will be sent to courses at employment centers. Each will be dealt with individually.

The draft decree also provides for "measures for the resocialization of persons who lead an asocial lifestyle."

- If the executive committee sees that a person does not want to work, then they will think what to do with him, how to take him in the economy so that he can support his family.

A permanent commission created by the local administration will coordinate the work on the implementation of the norms of the decree. The commission will include deputies of the district level; specialists of bodies for labor, employment, social protection; Housing and communal services, etc. This commission will inform citizens that they are on the list of those not employed in the economy and monitor the result of employment during the quarter.

“The commission will work with every person,” explains Tamara Krasovskaya.

And in order to create conditions under which citizens will be interested in legal employment, from January 1, 2019, it is planned to provide certain services to citizens not employed in the economy at prices (tariffs) that ensure full reimbursement of economically justified costs for their provision.

“So far, services for paying for heat and gas supply have been discussed, but the exact list will be determined later,” the deputy emphasizes.

At the same time, if the commission decides that a person is in a difficult life situation, he will be able not to pay the “full” tariffs.

Valery Belsky , DIRECTOR of the Institute of Economics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus , said that “in accordance with the instructions of the president, they considered many strategies that would help replenish public consumption funds.”

— For example, we proposed to change the structure of taxation by increasing the share of indirect taxes in the formation of the budget. But in some part this is a destructive solution: we deal with one problem - we get another. For example, there was a situation when our citizens, buying expensive goods like cars in RUSSIA or Kazakhstan, benefited significantly. Thus, we could strengthen the competitive position of our partners and create a situation where Belarusians go shopping to another country. That is, we have also worked out such options, although, I emphasize, we consider them unreasonable,” Valery Belsky clarified today.

The metropolitan employment service also sent its proposals for amendments to Decree No. 3 to the working group under the government: to expand the list of those who do not need to pay a fee, introduce preferences for those who decide to open their own business, and introduce mandatory employment for persons released from places deprivation of liberty.

- To do this, it is necessary to amend the criminal law so that people who come from places of detention, medical institutions are required to find a job and, for example, work for 2 years in one place. It is possible that in 2 years he will re-socialize and adapt in the labor collective, - said the chairman of the committee on labor, employment and social protection of the MINSK City Executive Committee Zhanna Romanovich.

But in the end, Belsky notes, a compromise solution has been worked out, which is aimed primarily at providing citizens with the opportunity to earn a living, and through this to ensure the replenishment of the budget.

- Our proposals were aimed at eliminating the contradictions of the current act. But the proposals that are now being considered and, obviously, will become the basis for making a new decision, are more cardinal. The new document contains a different concept aimed at the development of employment. Citizens who do not participate in the financing of government spending can pay certain types of expenses at full cost. Also, a more complete and objective record will be established of those persons who, through their labor participation, do not provide replenishment of the budget or do not carry out other socially useful activities,” said the director of the Institute of Economics.