MINSK, 29 March (BelTA) – As of 1 February 2017, Belarus awarded 19,300 pensions in accordance with the Belarus-Russia agreement on cooperation in social security, Larisa Yashkova, deputy head of the main department for pension provision at the Labor and Social Security Ministry, told BelTA.
“Today Belarus exports around 1,800 pensions to Russia. Russia pays 22,700 pensions to people in Belarus. The amounts of Belarusian and Russian pensions vary as they depend on the service record and the earnings of a pensioner, and in Russia's case on the amount of contributions to the Pension Fund during the period of work after 2002,” Larisa Yashkova said. Pensions are paid once per quarter.
In accordance with the treaty, starting 29 March 2007 (the date when the agreement came into force) pensions to citizens of Russia and Belarus living in these states are provided according to one of the options – at the choice of the pension applicant.
First option: each of the states (Belarus and Russia) awards a pension or portion thereof for the periods of service after 13 March 1992 on its territory applying the agreement and its national legislation. For the periods of service recorded on the territory of the former USSR prior to 13 March 1992, the pension is awarded and paid by the state in whose territory the pensioner resides permanently at the time of the application for pension.
Second option: pensions are appointed and paid in line with the legislation of the state whose citizen applies for a pension.
The representative of the ministry stressed that the applicant's choice is final and is not subject to revision (except for change of citizenship).
As for the pensioners who had pensions awarded before 29 March 2007 and who move from one state to the other after that date, the agreement provides for the possibility to continue receiving the pensions awarded before the move if the pensioner has the length of service of at least 20 years for women or at least 25 years for men, entirely recorded in the territory of the state from which he moves. Such a choice is also considered as final and is not subject to revision, Larisa Yashkova said.
