Minsk’s new counter-sanctions target taxation

March 13, Pozirk. The government has announced that it raises corporate income tax for foreign entities from “unfriendly states” from 15 percent to 25 percent from April 1 through the end of 2026.
The measure applies to entities operating without permanent branch offices in Belarus, according to Directive No. 164 dated March 7 published on the National Legal Internet Portal today.
The unfriendly states include the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the United States, Australia, Canada, and some others.
In addition, on June 1 the government suspends some provisions, mostly those related to dividends and interest, of the double tax treaties with Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, the UK and the United States.
The period of applying the measure can be reduced if the circumstances that caused it are removed or if the Ministry of Taxes and Duties decides so, the directive says.
In November 2022, Łukašenka threatened to nationalize foreign-owned companies should they decide to leave Belarus over its complicity in the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier that year, the government compiled a list of Belarusian companies with owners from “unfriendly” countries, prohibiting them from selling their shares.
The original list included 190 entries and was reviewed several times later.

Łukašenka rails against facilitation of asset sales for foreigners
- PoliticsOpposition leader demands Minsk reveal Statkievič’s whereaboutsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsThink tank urges EU not to mirror US policy on BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsReprisals: Belsat head, journalists wanted in RussiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEU, CoE urge Belarus to introduce legal moratorium on death penaltyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyOpposition to Russian war prevails in Belarusian citiesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsPoland sanctions TST PL over links to Belarusian evasion schemesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityPoland reports autumn peak for irregular migration from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus labels 27 more as “extremists” amid dissent suppressionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsUnion State common electricity market deal tabled for ratificationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyCity residents view Russia as more dangerous than US – pollThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- EconomyEconomy ministry projects GDP growth below 3 percent in 2026The material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyCentral bank reports core inflation at 7.5 percentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsRights defenders document 18 more political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus’ FM mocks EU aspiration as unrealistic “fetish”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyLithuanian police seize €40,000 worth of Belarusian-made cigarettesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, SocietyBelarus-related events at Warsaw Human Dimension ConferenceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy