Belarus faces car market crisis as private imports surge beyond dealership sales

"Are Resellers Undermining Dealers?"

Private car imports to Belarus are cutting into the market share of official dealers, according to the Belarusian Automobile Association (BELAA).

In just the first two months of 2026, private individuals imported 16,300 vehicles—a figure 11% higher than the same period last year. Meanwhile, sales through official channels plummeted by 57%.

Looking at the full-year data for 2025, private buyers brought in over 100,000 cars, with internal combustion engine vehicles making up 89%, electric cars 5.4%, and hybrids 5%.

"Notably, all imports came from outside the Eurasian Economic Union—private individuals did not bring in any vehicles directly from allied states," BELAA noted.

As a result, private imports now exceed the combined volume of all corporate imports and the output of the BelGEE plant by 1.5 times.

But the issue runs deeper. In reality, only a third of these vehicles are imported for personal use, while the remaining two-thirds are brought in by resellers and flipped within months.

"This shows that private imports have ceased to be a tool for personal consumption and have instead become an unregulated, large-scale commercial channel," the association warned. "This situation directly undermines the development strategy of BelGEE and threatens the stability of official dealerships."

Experts identify two key factors behind the trend. First, there is a critical gap in recycling fee rates—businesses pay significantly more than private buyers.

Second, resellers are exploiting tax exemptions under Decree No. 140 (dated April 10, 2019) when importing vehicles intended for resale.