United Transitional Cabinet Proposes Register of Property Confiscated from Belarusians for Future Compensation

Reform.news Editorial Team · 10 November 2026, 19:41

https://reform.news/en/united-transitional-cabinet-proposes-register-of-property-confiscated-from-belarusians-for-future-compensation/

The United Transitional Cabinet has presented proposals for returning property that was unlawfully confiscated after democratic change. The proposals were developed by Cabinet representative for the restoration of the rule of law Mikalai Kazlou and Cabinet representative for economics and finance Alisa Ryzhychenka.

Kazlou proposes adopting a separate restitution law that would establish procedures for reviewing court decisions, returning unlawfully seized property and paying compensation.

The state should restore the rights of those affected and compensate them for their losses based on the market value of the property. Under a court ruling, buyers who knowingly purchased confiscated property could be held financially liable, Kazlou believes.

However, buyers who were unaware that the property they acquired had been obtained unlawfully should be allowed to retain ownership, while those affected would receive compensation from the state, Ryzhychenka stressed.

The proposals envisage paying compensation not only from the state budget but also using the assets of judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and officials involved in unlawful confiscations, as well as assets belonging to the regime and its associates that were acquired through corruption schemes.

Kazlou proposes establishing a register of confiscated property now. Ryzhychenka suggests developing a methodology for assessing damages, criteria for determining whether buyers acted in good faith, and procedures for setting up a compensation fund.