On September 16, 2024, “Clear Politics” host Sergey Gusachenko discussed the scale of Europe’s crisis, the EU’s multibillion-dollar support for Ukraine, and changes to Estonia’s social policy on Belarus 1.
“In Estonia, social programs have been sacrificed for NATO. Childcare benefits are being cut, and sick pay is going down. And that’s not all.”
After these remarks, the program aired a segment where the narrator said:
“The authorities will cancel a €200 benefit for pensioners living in nursing homes. There will be no more payments for spouses who are dependents. Defense spending is also expected to drive up taxes. Pensioners will lose the equivalent of one pension per year. By 2026, many vulnerable groups are expected to lose their legal benefits.”
It’s true that Estonia is boosting defense spending and plans to reduce payments for some categories of citizens. But the changes won’t hit the poorest the hardest.
For example, when it comes to childcare benefits, only the upper limit will be lowered, not the entire payout. In Estonia, this benefit is based on the parent’s average salary, but it can’t exceed three times the national average. As of publication, the cap was €4,700. Starting in 2026, the ceiling is set to drop to twice the average monthly salary, or about €3,500. At the same time, parents will still be allowed to work and keep receiving the benefit.
For comparison, in Belarus—without any NATO expenses—childcare benefits start at €220 a month. The most someone can get under certain conditions is less than €400.
The same rules apply to sick pay in Estonia. It amounts to 70% of an employee’s average earnings. Starting in 2026, this payment can’t exceed twice the national average salary, or about €3,500.
In Belarus, only about half a percent of the population earns the equivalent of €3,000.
Estonian authorities will eliminate the €200 benefit for pensioners living in nursing homes. This amount was paid once a year, but since 2023, the government has started covering part of the cost for pensioners living in such facilities.
As for “no more payments for spouses who are dependents,” this refers to state-covered health insurance, which the government used to pay for.
Estonia has also announced a 2% increase in income tax. But pensioners will feel the impact the least. The country has a tax-free income allowance, and for pensioners it’s set at €776. That amount is almost equal to the average pension in the country. So in 2024, the average pensioner paid no income tax. When pensions are indexed in 2025 and rise above the tax-free threshold, pensioners will have to pay tax on the amount over the limit. On average, that’s about €9.50 a month or €114 a year.
In Belarus, the average pension is about 800 rubles, or roughly €220—three and a half times less than in Estonia.
