Belarusian government tries to appease citizens unhappy with housing privatisation

A presidential decree has been adopted that aims to address the most acute problems with residential housing privatisation, which should be completed by July 1^st, 2016. As of January 1^st, 2014, 360, 000 apartments still needed to be privatised in Belarus (8.8% of all apartments subject to privatisation). Throughout 2014, about 90% of the population have executed their right to privatisation. However, privatisation of apartments built in the Soviet era is still an issue which strongly resonates in Belarusian society and has a negative effect on the Belarusian authorities’ ratings. People who still live in non-privatised public apartments are those who are largely dependent on state support. With the decree, the government attempted to relieve the tension in this society group in view of the upcoming 2015 presidential elections.