MINSK, 3 May (BelTA) - Favorable external conditions offer the prospect of additional revenues to the budget, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at a government session held on 3 May to discuss Belarus' social and economic development, BelTA has learned.
“The conditions are favorable today. Rising world prices [for oil] are good for us too because this means the prices for petroleum products that we manufacture in Belarus are rising too. The prices for mineral fertilizers, including potassium, are growing as well. This enables us to count on additional revenues to the budget. Nobody knows how long this period will last but it will not last forever. We need to reap as many benefits as possible from the current trends and maintain the forward momentum in all areas,” the president said.
The president emphasized that there is a considerable number of unaddressed issues and various opinions on the matter, especially in part of budget spending. “The real sector will, of course, hog the blanket, as we saw this happen in the past. Financial experts will say that we need to reduce the public debt in the first place,” the Belarusian leader said.
“My position is well-known to you and all the Belarusians. The budget serves the objectives of the social policy. Taxes should go back into the society through healthcare, education, salaries, and support of the most vulnerable categories of the population,” the president said.
