In 2008 Belarus consolidated budget will total Br50 trillion 160 billion. Budget expenditures will amount to Br52 trillion 360 billion, so the budget deficit will run at Br2 trillion 190 billion or 1.9% of the planned GDP, Sergei Kiselev, the chairman of the permanent commission on budget, finances and tax policy of the House of Representatives of Belarus, told reporters on December 12. According to the parliamentarian, the budget will be still socio-oriented. For example, expenditures on...

Belarus takes comprehensive measures to protect interests and rights of children, especially through measures taken in line with the presidential programme “Belarus Children”, Natalia Petkevich, Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus, pointed out at a solemn plenary session of the UN General Assembly. The session was dedicated to surveying results of fulfilling resolutions taken by a special UN GA session on children’s status. According to the...

According to the projections, the trade between Belarus and Russia will exceed $23 billion in 2007, Vasily Khrol, a Deputy State Secretary of the Union State, told a press conference in Moscow on December 12. Since the founding of the Union State the trade between Belarus and Russia has quadrupled from $5,2 billion in 1995 to $19,9 billion in 2006. In January-September this year, the Belarusian–Russian trade reached $18,1 billion, up 22.8% over the same period last year. Belarus...

On December 11 President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko received credentials from ambassadors of nine countries, namely Albania, Italy, Qatar, DPRK, Columbia, Myanmar, Norway, Poland and Tanzania, the presidential press service told BelTA. Addressing the diplomats, the President underscored they were starting working in a calm and peaceful country, a country open for friends and partners. Belarus’ domestic policy is aimed at handling large-scale social tasks, raising living standards of...

In January-November 2007 Belarus’ Gross Domestic Product upped by 8.2% against the same period of 2006. This year’s forecast expects GDP to grow by 8-9%, BelTA learnt from the Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of Belarus. In January-November the industrial output increased by 8.3% (the forecast – 7.5-8.5%). The consumer goods production rose by 8.1% (8.5-9.5%). Besides, the foodstuffs production continues increasing. Over the period in review their output made up 103.5% though it is...

In November inflation in Belarus was at the level of 2.2%, BelTA has been told in the Ministry of Statistics and Analysis. In January-November this year the Consumer Prices Index rose by 9.4% over December last year. Inflation reached a monthly rate of 0.8% in 2007. In line with the monetary policy guidelines 2007, the inflation target rate is within 6-8%.

The agreements Belarus and Venezuela signed to regulate cooperation in military and technical field are not aimed at establishing a direct effect military alliance, Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Martynov told a press conference on December 10. He noted, the agreement is a framework one and “its further development will be determined by the needs of the parties”. Sergei Martynov also said, virtually all exhibits showcased during the National Expo of Belarus in Venezuela had been...

The Belarusian-Venezuelan oil production joint venture PetroVenBel in the Venezuelan state Anzoategui was inaugurated on December 8. Attending the opening ceremony were presidents of the two states Alexander Lukashenko and Hugo Chavez. A historical event – the start of oil production - took place in the presence of Alexander Lukashenko and Hugo Chavez. It took about a year for Belarus and Venezuela to set up the joint venture. 60% of shares belong to Venezuela and the rest – to Belarus,...

The Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus has approved the ratification of the intergovernmental Belarusian-Italian agreement stipulating terms and conditions of children’s recuperation holidays in Italy. The document was signed in May this year in Minsk, chairman of the permanent commission for international affairs and national security of the upper house of the Belarusian Parliament Nikolai Cherginets reminded. The agreement is aimed to provide additional social...

The share of the state in the authorized funds of Krynitsa and Brestkoye Pivo breweries can be increased. This is stipulated in the strategy of the brewery industry development drafted by the Belgospishcheprom concern, chairman of the concern Ivan Danchenko told BelTA. Belgospishcheprom has drafted the strategy of development of Belarusian breweries which controlling block of shares belongs to the state. They are Krynitsa, Brestskoye Pivo and Belsolod. In accordance with the strategy, the...