Belarus is introducing new mechanisms for enhanced control over the financial transactions of citizens. The Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reported this on April 25 in Telegram.
Analysts noted that the National Bank of Belarus is preparing restrictions on the number of bank payment cards, and is also tightening the rules for blocking citizens’ accounts.
Under the pretext of fighting so-called drops (dummy persons), the Belarusian authorities are actually introducing a system in which any financial transaction – transfer or payment for services – can become grounds for blocking a card, the Center for Traffic Management explained.
“Imitating Russian repressive practices, the Belarusian authorities are turning a regular bank transfer into an administrative procedure. Clients will have to independently prove the legality of every penny, which artificially limits the right of people to manage their own funds,” the message says.
The CPD noted that financial restrictions are part of a broader digital control policy, which also includes elements of restricting Internet access and traffic regulation.
“The introduction of total supervision over finances, together with preparations for the creation of an analogue of the Russian “sovereign Internet”, indicates the final synchronization of Belarusian repressive mechanisms with Kremlin standards,” the center added.
