A broadly accepted indicator for the positive regional and local development is its sustainability (functioning based on the principles of sustainable development). Currently Belarus suffers from the depopulation of rural areas and small towns, a low level of income of the population living in the regions (with few exceptions), lack of the social infrastructure and the low quality of services provided to the population. Many districts are still loss-making, small and medium businesses develop slowly. Minsk and large cities remain the “centres of attraction” for investments. Least-developed regions and local communities are not attractive for investors.
the conditions for the establishment and state support to NGOs remain unsatisfactory (prohibition to register at the residence address, lack of laws on charity, a complicated bureaucratic registration system for the projects with foreign funding, not yet developed social contracting system).