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Prime minister describes Belarus as leading software exporter

MOSCOW, 22 October (BelTA) – Belarus is one of the leaders in Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States in terms of software export per capita. Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Rumas made the relevant statement during the international forum Open Innovations in the Skolkovo Innovation Center in Moscow on 22 October, BelTA has learned.

Sergei Rumas reminded that the Belarusian Hi-Tech Park was given a powerful development impulse virtually two years ago when Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed the Digital Economy Development Ordinance in 2017. “We’ve decided to offer favorable terms for creation and innovations and eradicate any and all red-tape practices in the Hi-Tech Park,” the prime minister said. “The park’s residents are now allowed to do business and make deals in Belarus the way they are used to doing in the world’s best jurisdictions. The resident companies have been granted tax incentives. Oversight and control agencies are barred from interfering.”

The Digital Economy Development Ordinance produced results soon. “The Hi-Tech Park’s export and overall earnings rise by 30-40% every year,” Sergei Rumas said. “This year’s export is expected to reach $2 billion, which is a respectable sum for such a small country like Belarus. In terms of software export per capita Belarus has become a leader in Eastern Europe and the CIS.”

Revenues of the state budget from the Hi-Tech Park have increased as well. According to Sergei Rumas, even despite preferential tax rates the average Belarusian IT professional pays three times as much to the state budget than the average employed Belarusian.

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