Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 20 August (BelTA) – It is not always possible to manage the economy using old methods. Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Rumas made the statement as he introduced Economy Minister Dmitry Krutoi to the Economy Ministry personnel, BelTA has learned.

Sergei Rumas told Dmitry Krutoi: “I look forward to new ideas from you and your team because all of us understand that time goes on, everything changes. The world as we know changes very rapidly. It is not always possible to manage the economy using old methods. Yet I would like the new proposals to not be purely theoretical and bookish. I’d love proposals, which match our reality perfectly and entail no shocks if implemented.”

The central government has nearly finished working out the next year’s draft social and economic development forecast. According to Sergei Rumas, the forecast is being updated taking into account changes in the exchange rate of the Russian ruble and other factors. The draft forecast is supposed to be discussed at a session of the Council of Ministers next Tuesday, 28 August, in order to be forwarded to the Belarus President Administration by 1 September.

Sergei Rumas thanked the former economy minister Vladimir Zinovsky for his work. “We are going to talk to Vladimir Ivanovich [Zinovsky] but I am confident that his potential should not be left unused. I think he himself will decide where and how he wants to continue working. I am convinced he has yet to benefit the country a lot,” noted the prime minister.