In order to safeguard the preservation of museum articles and collections and enhance the effectiveness of utilizing them, including those which are the objects of international cultural exchange, the president of the Republic of Belarus signed an edict №435.

The edict imposes a ban on transferring abroad for permanent stay of museum articles and (or) collections on the list of the Museum Fund of the Republic of Belarus. Exceptions are the cases of moving abroad museum valuables in accordance with an international agreement of the Republic of Belarus on the restitution of cultural valuables which came into force and is validated by the decision of the Council of Ministers passed on every single case of transferring cultural valuables; and museum articles and (or) museum collections listed in the Museum Fund of the Republic of Belarus (save historical-cultural valuables) which are exchanged for other museum articles, collections or articles of museum significance of other countries. The exchange must be based on the decision of the Council of Ministers passed for every case of transferring cultural valuables provided there is a written agreement between the museums and the confirmation of exchange equivalence made by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus. The edict comes into force on the day of its official publishing.