MINSK, 19 June (BelTA) – Banks will continue supporting individuals and corporations by prolonging their loans. Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB) Pavel Kallaur made the statement after the government conference held by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 19 June to discuss how the banking system can support the real sector of the economy, BelTA has learned.
Pavel Kallaur said: “The banking system continues demonstrating maximum understanding of the difficult life situations people are experiencing. As a rule, people, who take out loans and are now having problems with their revenues, ask the banks to prolong their loans.” In his words, about 7,000 applications like that have been submitted, including some 4,000 from natural persons.
Pavel Kallaur went on saying: “The central bank monitors how the banks respond to applications of citizens. If we see some lack of understanding, we try to interfere and encourage the bank to show more responsibility. On the whole we are satisfied with how the work proceeds,” he said.
“As for enterprises, banks are interested in taking good care of their customers so that enterprises would cooperate with the banks,” the head of Belarus' central bank assured. In his words, more often than not Belarusian enterprises contact banks with requests to restructure their debts or to borrow money to pay salaries. A special group led by Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration Dmitry Krutoi has been set up to assist with the resolution of these issues. “Problems are certainly encountered because some companies do not have a very stable financial footing. But upon the authorization of the head of state government guarantees to the tune of Br1.2 billion have been appropriated. Problems of insolvent enterprises are resolved using these guarantees,” Pavel Kallaur explained.
During the government conference hosted by the head of state the government also put forward a number of pinpoint proposals concerning the companies that are having financial stability problems. “I think they will be resolved,” Pavel Kallaur said. “On the whole, the banking system and the government are ready to provide support to enterprises. I am convinced that if we continue taking coordinated actions, we will have no problems with sectors of the economy.”
