Free cottages for Belarusians

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

It is almost impossible to believe that you can become the owner of a solid, modern cottage absolutely FREE OF CHARGE. However, this is possible throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Belarus.

Presidential houses - this is what the people call cottages, which are received by collective farm workers. Yes Yes. It is the cottages, since to call them just a house, as it is, the language does not turn. In fairness, it is worth noting that, depending on the profitability of the collective farm, houses are built differently. But on average, this is a two-story house of 80-120 square meters with all communications, sewerage, household buildings and a landscaped area.

Today I decided to go to an agro-town (analogous to an ordinary village) and talk to the owners of such houses. At the same time, find out how to get such a house, and what is needed for this.

The agro-town of Zaluzhie is located in the Minsk region, practically on the border with the Mogilev region. In terms of distance, it is about 100-120 km from Minsk. The agro-town is part of a local collective farm. It should be noted that the collective farm is not bad enough. Of course, you cannot call it prosperous, but it is not neglected either. A sort of strong middling. About 800 people live in Zaluzhie, most of whom work on this very collective farm.

Since the bulk of the working population is at work, it turned out to be not so easy to find someone who would agree to show their farm. But I succeeded. In one of the cottages there was a woman who gladly told me how they lived and, most importantly, explained everything about the notorious "Presidential Houses"

Cottage number 1

This house, by local standards, is already quite old. He is already 9 years old. Svetlana (that's the name of the hostess) lives here with her husband. Earlier, children still lived, but they have already grown up and are currently studying in Minsk.

Sveta's family is the most ordinary one. Husband, two children. She has lived in the village since her birth, and she does not have a special desire to leave anywhere. Sveta works on a local collective farm as a milkmaid. That is why she was at home at such a time. Her work schedule is like this. From 5 am to 9 am the first milking, and in the evening the second milking. The rest of the time she is at home, doing her own courtyard. The salary suits her. On average, you get about 4,000,000 Belarusian rubles per month (about $ 450). The husband works in the same place, only naturally in a different position. Collectively, income is about $ 1000

Svetlana received this house about 9 years ago. We can say at the very beginning of the President's program for the revival of the village. According to this program, any resident of the Republic of Belarus can move to the village for permanent residence and get just such a house. At home they give absolutely FREE. But of course there are a number of conditions.

First, you must find a job at the collective farm. At the same time, it is not necessary for both spouses to find a job. It is enough for at least one to go to work on the collective farm.

You get the house for free use, but after working on the collective farm for 10 years, the house becomes your property

If for some reason you decide to quit the collective farm after fewer years, you have the right to buy out the house at the residual value. For each full year worked on the collective farm, the residual value is reduced by 10%.

At the conclusion of the contract, Svetlana's house was estimated at 120 million Belarusian rubles. rubles ($ 13 thousand). Thus, if Svetlana decided to quit now, she would only have to pay 10% of the cost of the house (about $ 1300).

Inside, the house is spacious enough

There is a large and spacious kitchen. According to my estimates, I think about 13-14 square meters

Bedroom. Also about 15-17 meters

Living room about 20-22 meters

and the former children's room, in the area of 15 meters

Each cottage has a bathroom with a toilet and a full bathroom

An obligatory attribute of any home is a washing machine.

Heating in Zaluzhie is stove. More precisely, there are boilers in the cottages. The boiler is connected to the whole house by a system of pipes and radiators

Since the house is no longer new, the boiler is installed in the old model. Next, I will show which boilers are installed in new cottages.

The plot is not large. For a throw-up about 8-10 acres. Household buildings were built on all plots

So ka Sveta has been living here for a long time, they managed to build additional buildings

A cow used to live here. This year we decided not to take it. Children are still in the city and the owners don't seem to need her

This shed is used for storing potatoes and various blanks.

By the way, the pot can be prepared almost free of charge. Fodder potatoes for collective farm workers cost a penny. I will not say the exact amount, but about $ 5-6 per 100 kg

The one that is for themselves, they procure themselves. To do this, on a collective farm, you can rent 15 acres of land on a collective farm field. Rental price - 120 thousand ($ 12 per year)

The owner has only a couple of pigs

And of course a couple of cats)))

They seem to like it here too.

In the yard I saw such an interesting structure.

It turned out to be an oven for preparing food for pigs. The pigs here eat potatoes

Gas cylinders for the stove are installed from the yard

Several times a month, the car brings new filled cylinders, and takes the empty ones

After a tour of her household, Svetlana offered to see one of the brand new houses located nearby. Naturally, I could not refuse such an offer and accepted it with pleasure.

In general, the collective farm builds 3-5 new houses annually. Those to which Svetlana decided to take us were built literally a year ago.

On the way, there was an opportunity to rent a few more "Presidential Houses". These buildings are 2009

As far as I understand, one of these houses is free. If you want - come and settle

Well, we finally reached the house of Vladimir and Angela

New houses got a little bigger

The building facades have additional insulation and decorative plaster. Well, a pretty fence

By the way, at the expense of fences. Tall fences are very rare in Belarus. Here fences are built from animals. Dogs, foxes, cows. But in Russia, fences are built from people. Here is such an unpleasant observation

inside the house is almost the same as Svetlana's

Also three rooms

Spacious living room

Large and spacious kitchen

Very nice and cozy

The bathroom in this cottage is separate. Washing machine, by the way, a gift from the collective farm for housewarming

The bathroom is tiled

Toilet separate from the bath

And here is the boiler. More modern and comfortable. It is heated 2 times a day. The house is always warm

If the layout of Vladimir's house is practically the same as that of Sveta, then the courtyard here is much more serious.

The shed was already walking along with the house

Cages with rabbits are located nearby

the livestock is small, only 8 pieces

But as you know, they breed quickly

Here you have delicious meat and beautiful fur

Lives in the farm of Vladimir and Angela Yeshe and a bull. Very young

The goby looked at me for a long time

And then I decided to gore

There is still room for a small poultry yard

A dozen chickens and half a dozen ducks

It is not difficult to feed the farm. On the collective farm, you can buy just such sheaves of hay. Each has 200 kg. Price - 200 thousand Belarusian rubles ($ 22)

The whole economy is guarded by such a Palkan. Guards, of course, not from people. There are many foxes in the local forests. They visit sometimes

Volodya's working tool is parked right there. Knowing that everyone is interested - his salary is 4-5 million ($ 500-620) However, if you wish, during the season of the sowing and harvesting company, you can take a part-time job and earn up to 15 million ($ 1,700). As they say there would be a desire

Tractor with a cool and eloquent inscription on the trailer

Since Vladimir stopped by for lunch, I did not pester him anymore. I think that you have seen more than enough to draw your own conclusions.

On this I said goodbye to Vladimir and Sveta and drove off the road

On my own behalf, I would like to thank Svetlana, Angela and Vladimir for a fascinating tour of their household. It was very interesting and informative