Some citizens have noticed a new entry in their utility bills: "At tariffs ensuring full reimbursement of economic costs."
Some citizens have noticed a new entry in their utility bills: "At tariffs ensuring full reimbursement of economic costs."
As previously noted, in order to implement Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of April 2, 2015 No. 3 "On Employment Promotion" (as amended by Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of January 25, 2018 No. 1), a commission for coordinating employment promotion activities in Lepel District has been operating on a permanent basis. The commission is chaired by Igor Urban. Its main objective is to provide maximum assistance to the employment of the population, stimulate labor employment and self-employment, support entrepreneurial initiatives, ensure the legalization of labor activities, and also carry out measures aimed at the resocialization of individuals leading an antisocial lifestyle. The database of able-bodied citizens not employed in the economy is updated once every 3 months.
According to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of April 23, 2020 No. 252, from May 1, 2021, able-bodied citizens not employed in the economy must pay at tariffs ensuring full reimbursement of economically justified costs, not only for hot water supply (water heating) – this norm has been in effect since the beginning of 2019 – but also for heat supply (heating) and gas supply in the presence of individual gas heating appliances.
We discuss this topic with Natalia Azarenok, Deputy Head of the Department of Labor, Employment and Social Protection of the District Executive Committee, Head of the Department for Employment of the Population.
— Natalia Nikolaevna, who has been included in these lists?
— I would like to note right away that those who are working, receiving a pension, officially renting out an apartment, studying, as well as parents of children under 7 years of age, are not included in this list. Also, individual entrepreneurs, lawyers, artisans, people engaged in agro-ecotourism, and those undergoing alternative service are not included.
— What if a person was recently dismissed?
— Such citizens are given time to find a new job – from 3 to almost 6 months. If they are registered with the employment center, they will also not be in the database. In addition, those serving a sentence by court order will not be included in this list.
— For which housing and communal services do able-bodied citizens not employed in the economy now pay at full tariffs?
— They are charged full tariffs for heating, hot water, and gas supply. If a person does not live alone, only a portion of the volume of housing and communal services must be paid for at the full cost; for other family members, they remain subsidised.
— And what if a citizen is going through a difficult period in their life…
— The commission may exempt those who find themselves in a difficult life situation from paying for communal services at full tariffs. A difficult life situation is understood as an objective circumstance (a set of circumstances) beyond the citizen's control, which they cannot overcome with their available resources. Each case is considered individually. If a person has truly valid reasons for not working, they will be accommodated. A deferral of payment for communal services at full tariffs can be granted for up to a year.
— And what should those who study or work abroad do?
— Citizens of the Republic of Belarus who work abroad or receive education on a full-time basis, upon presentation of supporting documents, are not included in the list of economically inactive employable citizens who pay for services with cost reimbursement.
To confirm their employment, the aforementioned categories of citizens must provide documents confirming their labour activity or full-time education to the standing commission for coordinating efforts to promote employment of the population at their place of registration.
— How can one find out if a citizen is listed in the database of the economically inactive?
— Citizens of the Republic of Belarus can check if they are included in the database of the economically inactive on the Unified Portal of Electronic Services.
A citizen can only find out information about their inclusion in the database concerning themselves personally. To do this, a person must first obtain an electronic digital signature or a unique identifier (login and password), which will be required for authorisation in their personal account on the Unified Portal of Electronic Services.
Obtaining an electronic digital signature is a paid service. However, a unique identifier is issued free of charge upon application to the "One-Stop Shop" service at the place of residence, where presenting a passport is sufficient.
Based on the application, a citizen's personal electronic account is created, and a unique identifier (login and password) is issued.
Additionally, to obtain information on whether data about a citizen is contained in
If you are in the database, you can contact the standing commission for coordinating employment assistance to the population at your place of registration by phone call or written request, including via the commission's email address.
— Natalia Nikolaevna, what should a citizen do if they are employed, but the utility bill states: "economically justified tariffs"?
— First of all, you need to go to the settlement center to clarify the basis for such a calculation. If a person is included in the database of able-bodied citizens not employed in the economy, they should contact the commission of the district executive committee for coordinating employment assistance to the population and present documents confirming their employment.
It should be noted that there are other reasons why economically justified tariffs for utilities may be applied. For example, if there are no citizens registered at the place of residence in the apartment, a private unitary enterprise is registered in the living space, a citizen owns or possesses and uses a non-residential premises in a residential building, or the apartment is rented out for short-term accommodation, etc.
Information on employment, available vacancies, training opportunities, retraining, relocation to a new place of residence and work, public paid work, financial support in the form of subsidies for starting entrepreneurial activities, activities in the field of agro-ecotourism, and registration as unemployed can be obtained from the department of labor, employment, and social protection of the district executive committee.
Interviewed by Natalia Khrapovitskaya.
http://www.lepel-kraj.by/za-kommunalnye-uslugi-po-polnomu-tarifu/