Belarus government to spend heavily on social security in 2023

There are plans to spend 45% of the state budget on the social sphere. Belarusian First Deputy Finance Minister Dmitry Kiyko made the statement on the air of the TV Belarusian channel STV, BelTA has learned.

Dmitry Kiyko said: “The budget will retain social orientation this year. Expenses of social nature will amount to 45% or slightly more than Br27 billion, 17.6% up [from the previous year].”

Attention will be paid primarily to the payment of salaries. Real incomes of the population are supposed to grow by 4.1%. Public sector salaries are supposed to grow by 16% on the average. In absolute terms the increase will be Br3.8 billion. The state budget will pay a total of Br23.5 billion as salaries. The base amount, which is used to calculate the official salary before bonuses, has already been raised as from 1 January.

Social orientation is primarily associated with healthcare. As much as Br10.4 billion will be spent on it in 2023, up from Br8.9 billion in 2022. As much as Br10.3 billion will be spent on education, up from Br8.3 billion in 2022. In addition to raising the salaries the government intends to spend more on buying medications, medical equipment, and ambulances.

In 2023 the government will continue paying attention to sanatorium and resort treatment, culture, and sport. “The guarantees the state gives are being realized by the budget,” Dmitry Kiyko stressed.