In line with the draft guidelines of the monetary policy for 2008 the inflation is projected within 6-8%, Chairman of the Board of the National Bank Piotr Prokopovich said when answering a question of BelTA. A reminder, the 2007 inflation projection is also 6-8%. In January-June the consumer prices upped by 3.6%. According to Piotr Prokopovich, the refinancing rate of the National Bank at the end of 2008 will be reduced down to 7-9% p.a. Today it stands at 10.5%. Over the next year the...

As of August 1, 2007, Belarus’ gold and hard currency reserves reached $3.086 billion, the press service of the Belarusian head of state quoted Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of Belarus (NBB) Piotr Prokopovich as saying to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko today. The National Bank had fulfilled the instruction of the head of state to raise the gold and hard currency reserves up to at least $3 billion this year, said Piotr Prokopovich. The achievement was attributed to the...

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has allocated $337,800 to Belarus for liquidation of nuclear waste depositories located at former military bases, Vladimir Skurat, the head of a laboratory of the Nuclear Research Institute Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, told a press conference today. In his words, Belarus has several nuclear depositories in the former military bases. The largest are Kolosovo in the Stolbtsy region of Minsk oblast and Gomel-30 in the...

Mogilev Plant Strommashina has started to produce equipment for the Loev-based Brickworks (Gomel oblast), BelTA learnt from Vitaly Berezovsky, the deputy director general on marketing and foreign-economic ties department of the plant. According to him, the plant is being constructed in Loev in line with the Belarusian President’s decree of December 5, 2006 “On setting up of the construction materials-making plant in the town of Loev”. The Mogilev plant won the tender to produce...

Alexander Lukashenko believes that gas issues are not threatening the country’s security. The President made the statement during today’s visit to the editorial office of the Sovetskaya Belorussiya newspaper. “I would like to stress that there is nothing threatening to Belarus’ safety. Absolutely nothing, even gas issues,” the President said.

As of early August 1 gross grain yield made up 3 million 895 thousand tonnes, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Foodstuffs Vasily Pavlovsky told BelTA. As of August 1 last year the country gathered in over 1,5 million tonnes. The Minsk oblast is a leader. The agricultural organizations of the oblast were first to reach 1 million tonne of grain and by August 1 they harvested 1 million 63,6 thousand tonnes of grain. the Grodno oblast threshed 765,3 thousand tonnes, Brest – 652,8 thousand...

In January-June 2007 as many as 2.363 million square meters of new homes were built in Belarus, 100.6% as against the H1 2007 target, the press service of the Belarusian Economy Ministry told BelTA. For people in need of better housing 1.381 million square meters of new homes were built. In rural and small urban communities 1.031 million square meters of housing were commissioned. In H1 2007 agricultural companies commissioned 4,351 dwelling houses and apartments, with 833 houses...

The republican research centre “Cardiology” has started preparing for Belarus’ first heart transplantation operation, director of the centre Igor Adzerikho has told reporters in Minsk today. This year the centre has purchased an artificial heart apparatus and intends to buy an artificial left ventricle apparatus in 2008. According to Igor Adzerikho, this equipment helps sustain the life of the patients while they are waiting for suitable transplants. Some of them are on the waiting...

Belarus has been taking measures to cheapen the cost and cut the terms of housing construction, Minister of Architecture and Construction of Belarus Alexander Seleznev reported to President Alexander Lukashenko on July 30, BelTA learnt in the Presidential Press Service. Alexander Seleznev reported about the implementation of instructions issued by the President when the former was appointed Minister of Architecture and Construction in May 2006. The President was told about civil...

Almost 3.6 million tonnes of grain has been collected in Belarus, Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Vasily Pavlovsky told BelTA. In his words, this year’s biological yield is estimated at 7.2 million tonnes. With half of the amount gathered in, it is quite possible to reach the targeted gross grain yield if the field work is properly organised, stressed the Deputy Minister. In his opinion, harvesting quality and the application of all technological methods are vital for reaching the...