Belarusian legislators have amended the procedure for leaving and entering Belarus, expanding the list of grounds for a ban on leaving the country. The new restrictions will affect both high-ranking officials and ordinary citizens.
Amendments to the law, approved by Parliament and approved by the President, were formally published on the National Legal-Internet Portal on May 16. The main innovations will take effect today.
In particular, the State Security Committee was given the right not to let a citizen out of the country if his departure “contrary to national security interests“. In this case, travel restrictions may be imposed for up to six months.
Now they may not be allowed out of the country and those citizens in respect of whom administrative process for committing an administrative offense against the order of government, that is, even before the verdict of the court is passed, as it has been until now. The authors of the law justify this by the need to “ensure the execution of the judge’s decision to impose an administrative penalty in the form of a fine.”
- disobedience to the lawful order of an official,
- insulting an official in the exercise of his official powers,
- violation of the procedure for declaring income and property
- illegal entry into protected objects
- violation of the border regime
- accommodation without registration or identity documents
- violation of fire safety requirements
- swimming in prohibited areas
- violation of housing law
- violation of the procedure for organizing or holding mass events
According to new amendments to the law, now they can also restrict the right of a citizen to leave the country if he is officially presented with action in civil or economic proceedings.
Lukashenka will personally coordinate the departure of top officials abroad
New provisions for certain categories of officials also appeared in the law. In particular, travel abroad will now be coordinated personally with the President of Belarus by the following officials:
- chairmen of the regional and Minsk city executive committees;
- head of the Presidential Security Service;
- Head of the Operational and Analytical Center under the President;
- Chairman of the State Security Committee,
- Minister of Internal Affairs;
- Foreign Secretary;
- Minister of Defense;
- Minister for Emergency Situations;
- Chairman of the State Border Committee;
- Chairman of the State Customs Committee;
- Chairman of the Investigative Committee;
- Chairman of the State Committee for Forensic Examinations;
- Head of the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Animals and Plants.
In turn, the government will give permission to leave the country to other heads of state bodies, as well as state organizations, as well as employees who “provide the activities and maintenance of state bodies that have been granted access to state secrets.”
The travel abroad of military personnel, employees and civilian personnel of military units and paramilitary organizations of Belarus (Ministry of Internal Affairs, Armed Forces, transport troops, the Investigative Committee, and so on) will also be regulated by the “local legal act” of the relevant departments.
