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В местных бюджетах на 2023 год увеличили расходы на мобилизацию: до 156 раз выше в сравнении с прошлым годом
Decisions of local councils of deputies on the approval of budgets for 2023 are traditionally published in January. Only a small part of these documents has been published so far, but an interesting pattern can already be seen.
Changes in the budgets of regions of Belarus for the mobilization / Belarusian Hajun
We can note the following changes in expenditures in local budgets on items «National Defense» and «Provision of mobilization training and mobilization» compared to 2022 (the exchange rate of the National Bank of Belarus as of 25.01.2023):
- Budget of Brest region: 2022 – 1 392 400 BYN ($530 397); 2023 – 1 636 407 BYN ($623 345). An increase of 17.5%.
- Budget of Homel region: 2022 – 2 301 853 BYN ($876 829); 2023 – 2 837 769 BYN ($1 080 972). An increase of 23%.
- Budget of Vitsebsk region: 2022 – 1 752 556 BYN ($667 589); 2023 – 1 832 051 BYN ($697 871). An increase of 5%.
- Budget of Mahiliou region: 2022 – 1 560 467 BYN ($594 418); 2023 – 9 368 869 BYN ($3 568 821). An increase of 500% (6 times). This is a record sum among all the budgets reviewed.
- Budget of Minsk region: 2022 – 1 110 852 BYN ($423 149); 2023 – 1 580 101 BYN ($601 897). An increase of 42%.
- At the same time, a dramatic decrease (by 42%) in expenditures on mobilization and mobilization training occurred in the budget of Hrodna region: 2022 – 1 212 407 BYN ($461 834); 2023 – 651 693 BYN ($248 245).
Budgets for the mobilization of certain districts, cities and towns of Belarus / Belarusian Hajun
- Budget of Minsk: 2022 – 1 587 427 BYN ($604 688); 2023 – 1 959 359 BYN ($746 365). An increase of 23%.
- Budget of the Asipovichy district, Mahiliou region: 2022 – 2 124,42 BYN ($809); 2023 – 201 000 BYN ($76 565). An increase of 9361% (95 times).
- Budget of the Chavusy district, Mahiliou region: 2022 – 1 350,77 BYN ($514); 2023 – 210 530 BYN ($80 195). An increase of 15486% (156 times).
- Budget of the Slutsk district, Minsk region: 2022 – 62 196 BYN ($23 691); 2023 – 126 100 BYN ($48 034). An increase of 103% (2 times).
- Budget of Pinsk, Brest region: 2022 – 156 000 BYN ($59 424); 2023 – 4 367 700 BYN ($1 663 758). An increase of 2700% (28 times). It is notable that the planned expenditures of Pinsk on national defense are 2 times higher than those of Minsk (the capital and the largest city of Belarus).
Where does this money go?
The item of expenditure of the local budget «Provision of mobilization training and mobilization» is used, for example, for:
– financing costs related to the logistical and financial provision of persons liable for military service drafted for the military training of the territorial troops (when held by the heads of local government bodies);
– provision of functioning of military commissariats, etc.
What could this mean?
We should not jump to conclusions yet, since there is no comprehensive information yet (the budgets of most cities, towns and districts have not been published). At the same time, the increase in expenditures on mobilization training and mobilization indicates an increased attention of local authorities to military security issues. It should be noted that among the regional budgets, expenditures on mobilization training and mobilization increased significantly in all regions, except for Hrodna region.
It is unlikely that the increase in expenditures is related to the plans for conducting mobilization in Belarus, as the expenditures of local budgets on mobilization training and mobilization, on the contrary, are reduced or remain unchanged in some regions. The increase in expenditures may indicate, for example, plans to increase the number of exercises and training with the territorial defense troops, the development of local military infrastructure, the purchase of equipment, etc.
It is notable that the increase in expenditures of district budgets on mobilization training and mobilization occurs both in regions where military units of the Belarusian Armed Forces are deployed (for example, three missile and artillery brigades, an ammunition storage base and a storage base for communications equipment are stationed in the Asipovichy district; in the Slutsk district – a railway brigade), and in regions where there are no military units of the Belarusian Armed Forces (for example, Pinsk, where only Pinsk border guard unit is deployed).
We should consider inflation, which may have influenced the increase in the item of expenditures on mobilization training and mobilization in local budgets. We should also remember a significant increase in the defense budget for 2023.
