The increase in prices for farm produce will be compensated by the rise in wages, President Alexander Lukashenko said when visiting the Stolin region of the Brest oblast on April 25. According to the head of state, Belarus should make use of the growing demand and prices for farm products worldwide. “In rich Europe, in America the prices for agricultural products have risen significantly. This is good for Belarus. Our agricultural workers will be able to get twice as much for their...

The national budget of Belarus is supposed to allocate Br625.296 billion while local budgets are supposed to apportion Br36 billion for alleviating consequences of the Chernobyl disaster in 2008, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Kosinets told a session of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly on April 24. In particular, Br307 billion will go to the Gomel oblast, Br70 billion — the Mogilev oblast, Br44 billion — the Brest oblast. There are plans to apportion Br101 billion...

The birthrate is up and the mortality rate down in the Chernobyl-affected regions, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Alexander Kosinets said when speaking in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus. According to him, in 2006-2007 the birthrate coefficient in the affected region of the Gomel oblast was 10.8 per 1,000 and death rate 14.3, in Brest oblast 11.7 and 13.2 respectively, in Mogilev oblast 10.4 and 14.8. The coefficient of natural decline has reduced from...

Russia has been and remains Belarus’ strategic partner, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting with Governor of the Sverdlovsk region Eduard Rossel. The Union State construction is an objective process meeting the interests of the two nations, the head of state said. “However difficult it may be, we will be working, as far as it will be possible with the new leadership of Russia, to tackle our common problems of bilateral cooperation,” said Alexander Lukashenko....

The Council of Europe is ready to engage in a constructive dialogue with Belarus, Secretary of the Commission Gianni Buquicchio told reporters on April 24. “We are ready to hold a constructive dialogue with Belarus in order to complete the construction of our common European home. We are here and it means that we are willing to develop the dialogue and help Belarus become member of the European family”, he said. Gianni Buquicchio also noted that “the Belarusian society is making...

A BelAZ assembly facility will be set up in the Sverdlovsk region, governor of the Sverdlovsk region of Russia Eduard Rossel said after the talks with Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky. According to Eduard Rossel, Belarus and Sverdlovsk region have “colossal potential”. “We are ready to develop it,” he added. The sides agreed to implement a big project, namely, to set up a transport and logistics centre in Minsk. All cargoes going from the EU countries in the eastern...

Enterprises of Belarus’ processing industry will be fully refitted within the next 2-3 years, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky told media on April 23. The head of government was on a working visit to the Mogilev oblast. He was familiarised with the progress in implementing three major investment projects: construction of a plant for processing potatoes into starch in OAO Novaya Drut (Belynichi region), reconstruction and modernisation of OAO Bykhov Tinned and Dried Vegetables...

Russia remains the key partner for Belarus in trade and economic cooperation, First Vice Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko said at a Belarusian-Russian business forum in Minsk on April 23. He remarked, in 2008 the trade turnover between the two countries may reach $34-35 billion. In Q1 2008 the growth rate of the trade between Belarus and Russia totalled 170% as against the same period of last year. In 2007 the trade between Belarus and Russia amounted to $26 billion. According to...

In 2007, Belarus invested more than $1046 million in projects abroad, First Vice Premier Vladimir Semashko told a session of the Council of Ministers of Belarus. Investing in foreign countries is “an important goal to increase property abroad as a strategic factor of foreign trade expansion”, the First Vice Premier noted. Developed countries try to balance this process. So Belarus should follow suit and take a broader look at the problem from the point of view of inevstment, he noted....

The oil refineries of the Belneftekhim concern are fully provided with feed stock, First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Vladimir Semashko said at a session of the Council of Ministers on April 22. According to him, Russians restarted placing tolling contracts with the Belarusian oil refiners. This enabled the latter to increase exports of oil products 2.8 times to $2.1 billion in January-February. Vladimir Semashko informed that over this period the profitability of Production Association...