MINSK, 23 September (BelTA) – The Belarusian government expects the nation's gross domestic product to grow by 1.7% in 2017 in comparison with 2016. Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov made the relevant statement after delivering his report to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 23 September, BelTA has learned. The report covered performance of the national economy so far this year, the draft social and economic development forecast for 2017, the draft budget, and the draft monetary management guidelines for the next year.
Andrei Kobyakov said: “As far as the key integral indicator — the gross domestic product — is concerned, we expect a growth rate of about 101.7%. Besides, we don't expect inflation to exceed 9% next year.”
The Prime Minister explained that the draft central state budget for 2017 expects the GDP to grow by 0.2% because the document was based on a conservative scenario ($35 per barrel of oil, RUB75 per U.S. dollar, low prices for potash fertilizers, weak growth of the Russian economy). “As far as forecast indicators from the point of view of economic development are concerned, we are going to hold on to the basic scenario: $45 per barrel of oil, at most RUB70 per U.S. dollar, and a positive growth of the Russian economy,” explained the Prime Minister.
Andrei Kobyakov also said that in 2017 the real salary is expected to rise by 1.5%. Interest rates on commercial loans are expected to be close to 17-18% at the end of 2017.
