Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 1 July (BelTA) – The conclusions of the IMF mission send a positive signal to continue discussions on financial matters with the Fund, the Belarusian Finance Ministry told BelTA.

“The IMF mission’s findings convey a positive signal to continue discussions on financial matters with the International Monetary Fund and could provide the basis for an IMF negotiating mission on a new program with Belarus,” the ministry emphasized.

Consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement concluded in Belarus on 30 June. From 21 to 30 June, a mission of the International Monetary Fund led by Peter Dohlman held a number of meetings with the Belarusian government and the National Bank to discuss matters of macroeconomic policy.

“The IMF mission commended the package of anti-crisis measures adopted by the government and the National Bank and hailed the considerable progress made in several aspects of the economic policy, including the pension system reform, the change in approaches to the management of budget spending and state support, the improved cost recovery through the tariff increases for housing and communal services, price liberalization and the reform of state-own enterprises,” the Finance Ministry said.

The IMF Staff Concluding Statement recommends that the measures to strengthen the macroeconomic and financial stability be continued and the reforms in its state-own enterprise (SOE) sector be speeded up.