Russia will grant a new loan of 500 million dollars to Belarus
Moscow, (EFE). – Russia will within the framework grant a new loan of 500 million dollars to Belarus of the stabilization credit of 2.000 million dollars decided by both countries in 2008, today announced Alexéi Kudrin, minister of Finances.
“The second loan will be transferred after the approval of the corresponding amendments to the Russian budget for 2009”, indicated Kudrin, in press conference.
Minsk the past received year the first billions of dollars, while the second section of 500 million will be given in the next days, added.
Russia already rendered to Belarus in 2007 a credit of 1.500 million dollars to compensate the increase of the price of the provision of the gas.
Both countries have decided to intensify their efforts to implant the Russian rouble like joint currency and to coordinate their economic policies to do against world-wide the financial crisis.
The Government bielorruso the past approved year an ambitious program of privatization for the period 2008-2010, that supposed a step more in the opening and liberalization of the last planned economy of the continent.
The president bielorruso, Alexandr Lukashenko, leader of the state control of the great assets of the country since he assumed the power in 1994, has been itself forced to give a copernicano turn to his economic policy.
The model bielorruso, based during last the thirteen years on the rigid control of the economy by the State and the system of state and collective farms, was maintained until now thanks to the fact that Russia subsidized the economy in a 60-70 percent.
