Ministry of Justice to make officials' income public?

The photos of PM Mihail Myasnikovich's watch costing $37 thousand has already become notorious. At the same time, Minister of Economy Mikalai Snapkou claimed in April that his salary was $750. State officials are not allowed to accept presents costing more than 20 dollars.

However, the PM is not going to explain where he got such an expensive watch, PM's press secretary Volha Douhaya told Euroradio.

Volha Douhaya: “There have always been talks like this. This person is open to the public... He needs to filter off unnecessary conversations."

Maybe all the concerns would go away if people could look through Myasnikovih's income statement? All Belarusian officials must fill in income statements every year. But ordinary people cannot access them – the statements cannot be found on the Internet. Sending an official inquiry about officials' income is senseless either.

Parliamentary press service: "Everyone fills in income statements. You can ask the tax inspectorate about it."

The Council of the Republic said the same. But there is no use asking the tax inspectorate about officials' income - they will not give you any information, head of Vetkauski District tax inspectorate Svyatlana Prakoshyna told Euroradio.

Svyatlana Prakoshyna: “The information is secret and we do not have the right to make it public. The law does not say that we should publish the information (about income statements. - Euroradio). It only says that state officials must fill in income statements."

The Ministry of Justice has finally decided to change the situation and oblige officials to publish their income statements. It may affect the Prime Minister, the head of the President's Administration, the Attorney General, the head of the Election Commission, ministers and other officials.

Certain state institutions check officials' income statements and compare them to their purchases and expenses. Cars produced in the last 3 years, flats, houses and trips abroad draw special attention. All these things are conspired to be "expensive purchases", deputy head of Hotzimski District tax inspectorate Dzyanis Ramanenka says. However, if officials publish their income statements, everyone will be able to compare their income to their expanses and the cost of their watches. And then they may inform the tax inspectorate about all discrepancies.

“The Public Prosecutor's Office and other state bodies may check this information..." a representative of  Zhabinka District tax inspectorate warned.

 Photo by: Anton Matolka