House of Representatives Approves Law Expanding State Control Committee Powers

The House of Representatives has approved in the second reading amendments to legislation governing the activities of the State Control Committee (KGK).

According to the House of Representatives’ press service, the KGK will receive oversight functions with respect to the Development Bank. It will also be empowered to monitor compliance with the technical regulations of the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

The committee’s new powers do not end there. Under the amendments, it will also be able to:

• when carrying out instructions from Aliaksandr Lukashenka or overseeing their implementation, assess the performance of managers and other employees of state bodies and other organisations;
• issue orders suspending the activities of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs (or their facilities) when violations of pricing and price regulation legislation are identified in the trade and public catering sectors, and, when implementing Lukashenka’s instructions, in cases involving violations of other legislation as well;
• impose bans on actions related to state registration;
• involve representatives of supervisory and regulatory authorities, other state bodies, including law enforcement agencies, and other organisations in monitoring activities;
• suspend transactions involving electronic wallets.

Interdistrict State Control Committees will be able to submit proposals to state bodies and other organisations regarding disciplinary action against employees found to have violated legislation, as well as the application of enforcement measures for breaches of budget legislation.

The law establishes mandatory state social insurance for civil servants of the KGK’s Financial Investigations Department who carry out oversight activities.

The KGK’s Financial Investigations Department will also be classified as an entity directly involved in counterterrorism activities. Its powers will be expanded accordingly.