Belarus’ Government is not going to increase the tariffs on housing and municipal services for the population by the end of the year, Belarusian PM Sergei Sidorsky said in Lida today at a meeting focusing on the progress the Lida regional executive committee made in implementing President’s Directive #3 of June 14, 2007 “Economy and thrift – the main factors of ensuring the economic security of the state.” “If we reduce the GDP energy intensity, we will be able to keep the...

This year’s gross grain yield will make up not less than 7 million tonnes in Belarus, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Foodstuffs of Belarus Vasily Pavlovsky has told reporters today. “Agricultural companies are going to meet the target set out by the Government. Belarus’ agricultural industry will ensure food security of the country – the demand for bread grain and grain forage will be completely satisfied. Belarus will not purchase grain abroad, just 150 thousand tonnes of durum...

Belarus will change the nature of financing the agricultural industry, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said during his working trip to the Grodno oblast, BelTA was told in the Belarusian leader’s press service. Alexander Lukashenko stressed the need to enhance economic efficiency of the Belarusian agricultural companies and demanded that the village revival programme be strictly implemented. In the near future the funds which are allocated for the agricultural industry will be...

Belarus should abandon the practice of subsidizing the agricultural sector, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko declared when visiting the agricultural company Gervyaty of Grodno oblast. The President reminded that in 2008 the state will halve the subsidies to agricultural companies. By 2010 agricultural producers should stop relying on the state support which will be given to profit-making companies only, Alexander Lukashenko said. “We cannot buy everything for farms from a small...

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has tasked the Government to index retirement pensions in September. As BelTA was told in the presidential press service, a corresponding commission was given to the Belarusian Premier today at a meeting between Alexander Lukashenko and Sergei Sidorsky. “Within the next three days the Council of Ministers will draft a decree of the President of Belarus on indexing pensions by 7-8%,” said Sergei Sidorsky. The Belarusian PM informed the...

The gross grain harvest in Belarus has approached 6 million tonnes. In the morning of August 9, 5.7 million tonnes was harvested, Belarusian Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Vasily Pavlovsky told BelTA. There is slightly more than 16% of grain crops left to harvest. Specialists believe the grain harvesting will be over by mid-August. Belarus will collect 7 million tonnes of grain, the official was convinced. It is obvious now as since the beginning of the harvesting campaign the average...

By 2009 Svetlogorsk plans to build a modern architectural compound including a many-storied apartment house, an administrative-trading centre and the whole necessary infrastructure. The customer and investor of the project is the Iranian company Meta-International. As BelTA was told in the architecture and construction department of the Svetlogorsk regional executive committee, the Iranian representative office and the regional administration concluded a contract for making design estimates...

This year Belarusian specialised truck farms will receive Br35.2 billion in loans for rebuilding onion storage facilities and building energy-saving boiler houses for them, BelTA learnt from Alexander Autko, Director of the Horticulture Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. He said, the allocation of the money is laid down by the Belarus President’s decree No. 368 “Measures to satisfy demand for fruits and vegetables”. In particular, the loans for reconstructing...

Belarus has fully paid for the natural gas Gazprom supplied in H1 2007, Aide to the Energy Minister of Belarus Andrei Zhukov told BelTA. In his words, today the Energy Ministry has transferred the remaining $66.5 million Belarus had to pay for the natural gas supplied in H1 2007. In line with the contract Belarus paid for 55% of the Russian gas cost in H1 2007. The deferred payment amounted to $456.16 million in January-June 2007.

Agricultural companies of the southern and central regions of Belarus which have finished the harvesting campaign will send 350 combine harvesters to help the northern regions, BelTA was told by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Foodstuffs Vasily Pavlovsky. According to the Deputy Minister, such practice helps unite common efforts to harvest grain in a short period of time and with smaller losses. As a rule, high-qualified machine operators are sent to help the neighbours. Thus, in the...