Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 16 October (BelTA) – Following three quarters of 2018, Belarus’ economic growth has leveled out at 3.7%, Prime Minister Sergei Rumas told reporters after his meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, BelTA has learned.

The premier briefed the president on economic performance in Q1-Q3 2018. “The figures for September are already available. They suggest that the country’s economic growth has leveled out at 3.7%. The key targets set for the government were fulfilled,” Sergei Rumas noted.

In his words, inflation stays within the yearly plan. “Despite a surge in August, the consumer price index rose by 3.7% [compared with December 2017] and according to our estimates, will not exceed the 6% plan in 2018,” the premier noted.

As was reported earlier, the decree setting forth social and economic development targets for the Republic of Belarus in 2018 projected that Belarus’ GDP will grow by 3.5% in 2018. The major targets are increasing the competitiveness of the domestic economy, maintaining sustainable economic growth and creating additional instruments for growth acceleration in the future.

In August, the Eurasian Development Bank improved its forecast for Belarus’ GDP growth in 2018 up to 3.8%. The inflation forecast was reduced to 5.1%.