On August 20th, 2016, amendments to the Administrative Code of Belarus will take effect, envisaging an increase in the number of fines for various administrative offenses. Belarus has an annual plan for penalties to be listed in the state budget. In 2016, the plan is raise BYR 118 million from different fines. The state is likely to step up control over settlements between individuals and businesses due to a penalty for exceeding the limit of cash payments. For instance, it may make test purchases of expensive goods in order to identify such violations. The authorities may also step up control over entertainment sphere due to a penalty for failing to take measures to prevent the spread of drugs. Taking into account the practice of previous years, projected budget revenues from penalties are likely to exceed the target by 15-20% in 2016.
