Belarus doesn't plan to start offering citizenship for investments - Interior Ministry

MINSK. Jan 19 (Interfax) - Belarus has no plans to allow foreigners to receive Belarusian citizenship in exchange for investing in the country, head of the Interior Ministry's Citizenship and Migration Department Alexei Begun said.

"Such a citizenship acquisition principle does not even exist. But it is valid for receiving a residence permit. This is the stage that precedes citizenship. If you have invested 150,000 euros in the Belarusian economy, you can receive a corresponding residence permit. We issue 3-4 permanent residence permits to investors annually," Begun told the ONT television channel on Thursday.

These are people who invest in specific Belarusian enterprises and want to receive permanent residence permits, he said.

"But trading citizenship in exchange for investments or for the sake that one makes these investments today and will take them back tomorrow is not even being discussed," Begun said, adding that "citizenship must be earned rather than bought."