Procedure for reviewing appeals, including individual entrepreneurs and legal entities

Procedure for submission and consideration

of appeals by citizens and legal entities

Methods of submitting appeals

Appeals are submitted by applicants in written or electronic form, as well as presented orally.

Written appeals: submitted by hand (courier), by postal service, during a personal reception.
Oral appeals: are presented during a personal reception.

Electronic appeals are submitted in the manner established by Article 25 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Appeals of Citizens and Legal Entities”.

Requirements for appeals

  1. Appeals are presented in Belarusian or Russian.
  2. Written appeals of citizens must contain:
    • the name and/or address of the organization or the position and/or surname, given name, patronymic (if any) or initials of the person to whom the appeal is addressed;
    • surname, given name, patronymic (if any) or initials of the citizen, address of his place of residence (place of stay);
    • the substance of the appeal;
    • the personal signature of the citizen(s).
  3. Written appeals of legal entities must contain:
    • the name and/or address of the organization or the position and/or surname, given name, patronymic (if any) or initials of the person to whom the appeal is addressed;
    • the full name of the legal entity and its location;
    • the substance of the appeal;
    • surname, given name, patronymic (if any) or initials of the head or the person authorized in the established manner to sign appeals;
    • the personal signature of the head or the authorized person.
  4. Comments and/or suggestions are entered in the book of comments and suggestions in accordance with the form established by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus.
  5. The text of the appeal must be readable. Handwritten appeals must be written in clear, legible handwriting. The use of obscene or offensive words or expressions in appeals is not allowed.
  6. To written appeals submitted by representatives of applicants, documents confirming their authority are attached.
  7. The appeal must contain information about the results of its previous consideration with attached (if any) documents confirming this information.

Rights of applicants

  • to submit appeals, present arguments to the official conducting the personal reception;
  • to become acquainted with materials directly related to the consideration of their appeals (excluding materials containing information whose dissemination and/or provision is restricted), including to make extracts from these materials, to photograph them;
  • to submit additional documents and/or information or to request their procurement, including electronically, provided that the procurement of such documents and/or information does not affect the rights, freedoms and/or legitimate interests of other persons and does not contain information constituting state secrets, commercial or other legally protected secrets;
  • to withdraw their appeal before substantive consideration;
  • to receive responses (notifications) to appeals;
  • to appeal in the prescribed manner the responses to appeals and decisions to leave appeals without substantive consideration;
  • to use technical means (audio and video recording, film and photography) with the consent of the official conducting the personal reception;
  • to exercise other rights provided by the Law of the Republic of Belarus of July 18, 2011 No. 300-Z “On Appeals of Citizens and Legal Entities” and other legislative acts.

Obligations of applicants

  • to comply with the requirements of the Law;
  • to submit appeals to organizations, individual entrepreneurs in accordance with their competence;
  • to treat employees of organizations, individual entrepreneurs and their staff politely, and not use obscene or offensive words or expressions;
  • to promptly inform organizations, individual entrepreneurs of any change in their place of residence (place of stay) or location during the consideration of the appeal;
  • to fulfill other obligations provided by the Law and other legislative acts.

Leaving appeals without substantive consideration

1. Written appeals may be left without substantive consideration if:

  • appeals do not meet the requirements set out in paragraphs 1–6 of Article 12 of the Law;
  • appeals are subject to consideration in accordance with the legislation on constitutional court proceedings, civil, civil procedural, economic procedural, criminal procedural legislation, legislation defining the procedure of administrative process, legislation on administrative procedures, appeals are appeals of an employee to an employer or, according to legislative acts, another procedure for submission and consideration of such appeals is established;
  • appeals contain issues whose resolution does not fall within the competence of the organization to which they were submitted, including if comments and/or suggestions entered in the book of comments and suggestions do not relate to the activity of this organization, individual entrepreneur, and do not concern the quality of goods sold, works performed, services rendered;
  • the deadline for filing a complaint was missed without a valid reason;
  • the applicant submitted a repeat appeal, including one entered in the book of comments and suggestions, and it does not contain new circumstances significant for substantive consideration of the appeal;
  • correspondence with the applicant on the issues raised in the appeal has been terminated;
  • appeals contain threats to life, health and property, incitement to commit an unlawful act or the applicant otherwise abuses the right to appeal.

2. Oral appeals may be left without substantive consideration if:

  • documents confirming the identity of the applicants, their representatives, and documents confirming the authority of the applicants’ representatives are not presented;
  • appeals contain issues whose resolution does not fall within the competence of the organization conducting the personal reception;
  • the applicant has already been given a comprehensive answer to his questions or correspondence with this applicant on such issues has been terminated;
  • the applicant, during the personal reception, uses obscene or offensive words or expressions;
  • the applicant uses technical means (audio and video recording, film and photography) without the consent of the official conducting the personal reception and refuses to stop their use;
  • appeals contain threats to life, health and property, incitement to commit an unlawful act or the applicant otherwise abuses the right to appeal.

Withdrawal of an appeal

The applicant has the right to withdraw his appeal before substantive consideration by submitting an appropriate written or electronic application.

In case of withdrawal by the applicant, the organization or individual entrepreneur cease substantive consideration of such appeal without notifying the applicant.

The applicant is returned the original documents attached to the appeal.

Appealing responses to appeals

The organization's response to an appeal or the decision to leave an appeal without substantive consideration may be appealed to a higher organization.

The organization's response to an appeal or the decision to leave an appeal without substantive consideration after appeal to a higher organization may be appealed to a court in the procedure established by law.

The response to a complaint to a higher organization may be appealed to a court if, during consideration of this complaint, a new decision is made that relates to the competence of the corresponding higher organization.

The response to an appeal or the decision to leave an appeal without substantive consideration of an organization that does not have a higher organization, as well as an individual entrepreneur, may be appealed to a court in the procedure established by law.