MOSCOW, 26 September (BelTA) - The overdue external accounts receivable owed to Belarusian commercial entities have been slightly reduced, but the total sum is still considerable, Prosecutor General of Belarus Alexander Konyuk told media prior to a meeting with representatives of the Belarusian distribution network in Russia. The meeting was held in the Belarusian embassy in Russia to discuss the problem of accounts receivable, BelTA has learned.
“There has been a slight positive change. However, I would not jump to some conclusions for the time being. This is an ongoing process. The problem is that the sum is considerable,” Alexander Konyuk underlined.
According to the prosecutor general, foreign partners owe $500 million in overdue external accounts receivable to Belarusian commercial entities. Russian counterparties account for almost a half of this sum. “This is real money. This situation is taking place while the government, the president, and ministers are hard at work looking for funds and loans. This is why the president's interest in this matter is natural,” Alexander Konyuk remarked.
He noted that the repayment process does not encourage optimism. “I believe that some structures, including those set up in the so-called distribution network, do not only fail to fulfill their tasks. They are redundant. How do you explain that some structures of the meat and dairy industry do not only bring profit but operate at a loss? As a prosecutor, I have bad thoughts about it,” Alexander Konyuk added.
He recalled that an operational meeting took place in the Prosecutor General's Office a week ago. The participants discussed the situation with overdue accounts receivable in Belarus. “It is time for us to clarify the situation in Russia. We will analyze the information presented at both meetings, and I will give a personal report to the president on this matter,” the prosecutor general said.
Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko is taking part in the Moscow meeting together with Alexander Konyuk. They are hearing out reports by heads of entities of the Belarusian distribution network on the implementation of instructions given at a similar meeting on 27 April and on measures taken to reduce overdue accounts receivable of Russian counterparties for the products supplied to Russia and return currency earnings to Belarus. The meeting gathered heads of Russia-based entities of the distribution network (with Belarusian capital) of Belarusian exporters (trading houses, official distributors, representative offices, and big dealers) subject to the Belarusian Industry Ministry, the state-run concerns Belneftekhim and Bellegprom, and also Minsk Oblast food companies.
According to the materials of the meeting, as of 1 August 2017, Russian counterparties owed over $1,783.3 million in external accounts receivable to Belarusian commercial entities and $210.4 million in overdue accounts receivable. In July 2017, the Russian partners reduced their accounts receivable by 3.4% and overdue accounts receivable by 4%.
