OREANDA-NEWS. October 5, 2011. As much as Br1.7 trillion has been allotted in Belarus to provide seasonal lump-sum benefits for certain social groups in line with ordinance #417 signed by Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko, vice minister of finance Viacheslav Vasilenko told a press conference Wednesday.

“Seasonal benefits like this are not exactly something extraordinary for Belarus, where it has become annual practice. This year over 2 million people will get that benefit,” the official said.

Qualifying for the lump-sum benefit of Br500,000 (Br5,584 - U.S. USD 1) are persons, who were employed in the state-funded sector as of September 1, 2011, including public officers and military servicemen; benefit holders (parents on maternity leave) and non-working pensioners.

The ordinance also recommends that private sector enterprises should provide their employees the same benefit.

The ordinance has it that the payments are due in September 2011.