Changes are being introduced to Belarus’ Land Code and Water Code. The relevant laws were signed today by Aliaksandr Lukashenka.
The law “On Amendments to the Water Code of the Republic of Belarus” grants the government authority to establish procedures for leasing surface water bodies for recreation, physical education, sports and tourism.
The legislation also regulates the use of surface water bodies for navigation by structures that are not classified as small vessels.
The amendments provide for local executive and administrative authorities to impose bans and restrictions on general water use, including swimming and the operation of small vessels, only where there is a threat to public life and health and in accordance with criteria to be established by the government.
Under the changes, a lessee must ensure free public access to a leased water body. Leasing part of a water body for recreation, physical education, sports or tourism will be prohibited if no other developed public access route is available.
The law also establishes requirements for small artificial reservoirs located on land plots used by landowners and land users.
Citizens will be entitled to extract groundwater through water wells on their land plots without obtaining a special permit. This right will be confirmed by land ownership or land use documents.
The amendments to the Land Code are aimed at improving land relations and strengthening the responsibility of local authorities for regional development.
District executive committees will be granted the authority to make decisions on the expropriation and allocation of land plots for state needs related to the construction of facilities serving regional or national interests. Regional executive committees will be able to determine categories of persons who may receive land plots without an auction in order to help retain personnel in the regions.
Citizens in need of improved housing conditions who voluntarily relinquished previously allocated land plots for valid reasons may be granted land plots again. Families raising children with disabilities will be able to receive plots out of turn.
The law establishes the requirement to obtain approval from an executive committee before transferring ownership of unfinished preserved capital structures located on privately owned or leased land plots, as well as plots held under other forms of land rights.
The procedure for purchasing land plots or paying for lease rights when multiple legally significant actions are carried out with a plot is also clarified.
The amendments further clarify issues related to the legalization of unlawfully occupied land plots and unauthorized construction.
At the same time, the possibility of acquiring into private ownership or leasing, using reduced coefficients, land plots held by land users as of September 1, 2022, is being extended. The deadline has been aligned with the expiration of the land amnesty programme and extended until January 1, 2028.
