Vitebsk region is ready to introduce a local fee for crossing the state border by car - Council of Deputies

The Vitebsk region is ready to introduce a local fee for crossing the state border by car at border crossing points, as reported by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies, Vladimir Terentyev, at an extraordinary session of the regional council during the approval of the report on the execution of the regional budget for 2020.

In accordance with the updated Tax Code, which entered into force on January 1, 2021, regional councils of deputies can introduce a local fee for vehicles crossing the state border at border crossing points within the respective administrative-territorial units from January 1, 2021, to January 1, 2023. "All aspects of introducing the mandatory payment have been worked out; only technical issues within the competence of the border service remain. As soon as they are resolved, the issue is planned to be submitted to a session of the Regional Council of Deputies," explained Vladimir Terentyev.

Upon the introduction of the relevant decision, drivers of vehicles belonging to organizations or individuals, including those registered as individual entrepreneurs, with a maximum mass not exceeding 5 tons, will be required to pay the fee. The fee is paid in Belarusian rubles before or upon crossing the border at border crossing points, based on the size of the basic unit in effect on the date of payment.

According to Gennady Grebnev, Head of the Main Financial Department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, the volume of own tax and non-tax revenues of the consolidated budget of the Vitebsk region in 2020 exceeded Br1.5 billion, which is 4% more compared to the same indicator in 2019. During the budget execution, the fulfillment of certain parameters of socio-economic development of the Vitebsk region was not ensured, which negatively affected the dynamics of own revenues. At the same time, the existing lag was largely compensated by above-plan revenues from personal income tax (due to the fulfillment of the nominal accrued wage growth target), as well as from VAT, revenues from the sale of unused property, and a number of other sources.

Consolidated budget revenues of the Vitebsk region amounted to about Br2.5 billion (including gratuitous receipts) and increased by 7% compared to the 2019 budget. This made it possible to finance the main basic budget obligations, support priority areas and spheres of activity, and continue work on objects of high social significance, stated Gennady Grebnev.

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