MINSK, 22 April (BelTA) – In January-March Belarus' GDP went up by 1.1% over the same period a year earlier, which was above the government forecast. The average salary in the first quarter exceeded Br1,000, Belarus Prime Minister Sergei Rumas said in an interview with the Belarus 1 TV channel as he commented on the State of the Nation Address from the president to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly, BelTA has learned.
“In 2019 the economy is picking up steam. In Q1 the gross domestic product rose by 1.1%. This is a bit higher than the government expected. We have been moving, consistently and systematically, to meet the goal set out by the president, namely to double the GDP to $100 billion by 2025. For this we need to ensure the GDP growth at 4% this year. But people assess the work of the government not by the GDP growth but primarily by their own incomes. Salaries in March exceeded not only Br1,000 but also $500. This means that the target set by the head of state has already been achieved. In Q1 the salaries averaged Br1,011. But the head of state urged the government to focus on the low-income segments of the population, those categories whose salaries are far from Br1,000,” Sergei Rumas noted.
The premier also spoke about the possible sale of big industrial companies. “The head of state has repeatedly voiced his position. Shares of any company can be sold only if the seller is happy with the price,” he noted.
The government will scrutinize the president's State of the Nation Address and will make a plan of action to fulfill all the tasks, Sergei Rumas said.
