On the last day of 2021, the Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus was amended by Law No. 141-Z. Among other significant changes, some changes related to the taxation of real estate were introduced.
In particular, the owners of apartments in apartment blocks were previously exempt from real estate tax on one apartment regardless of whether it was the only apartment owned by a person or one of several apartments owned. This tax concession for apartment owners is abolished with effect from 1 January 2022. Now, apartment owners henceforth have to pay real estate tax on each apartment they own.
However, the concession remains in place for a few groups of the taxpayer, such as retired persons, the disabled, minors, and servicemen who serve for a fixed-term in the military.
The abolition of the above-mentioned tax concession illustrates the attempts of the state to find additional budget income to alleviate the consequences of the global pandemic and the international sanctions imposed on Belarus.