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Lukashenko: Ungrounded price rise is unacceptable

MINSK, 8 October (BelTA) – An unjustified price rise, especially for staple goods, is unacceptable, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the general meeting of the Belarusian National Union of Consumer Societies Belkoopsoyuz on 8 October, BelTA informs.

“Prices are our major area of focus. Internal supervision over them will be supplemented by monitoring by the State Control Committee and trade unions. We will enhance our focus on this matter in the near future. Indeed, we are witnessing a frantic rise in prices; food prices have skyrocketed around the world. Global food prices will increase twofold soon. Prices for metals and gas have gone up, too.  Everything has become more expensive,” the head of state said.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, this situation was caused by coronavirus lockdowns in many leading states of the world: “They put their economies on hold. But people had to survive somehow. They found a simple solution: to print money. This resulted in inflation. This is natural. It [inflation] is coming to us from there.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that many retailers and manufacturers took advantage of the objective rise in prices to inflate prices even more. “We should identify such cases and find our way to curb prices amidst this wild market havoc,” the Belarusian leader said.

“Therefore, I have instructed, first of all, trade unions, the State Control Committee, the appropriate government agencies and MPs to pay serious attention to this matter, to study prices and make specific decisions. We must hold out and prevent profiteers from taking advantage of the price rise. Otherwise, we will end up having a real revolution. People will not tolerate it. Therefore, today we are paying serious attention to price control,” the head of state emphasized.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, he has recently signed a relevant decree: “An unjustified rise in prices, especially for staple goods, is unacceptable. This is the essence of this document. This remains my tough requirement. No one should overpay for someone else’s mismanagement or wish to line one’s pockets,” the head of state emphasized.

Aleksandr Lukashenko warned that those who artificially inflate food prices will be fined: “I want the new chairman to establish exemplary order in the main line of business of the Belkoopsoyuz system.”

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