Trade of Belarus with Russia dropped by 50% 26.02.2009, 16:20

In the beginning of this year turnover between Belarus and Russia dropped by 40-50% as compared to the same period of the last year.

It has been stated by the first deputy minister of Belarusian Foreign Ministry Ihar Petryshenka at the meeting with head of working groups of the “national assembly” of Belarus on cooperation with parliaments of foreign states.

“Unfortunately, summing up the results of January, the turnover with Russia has dropped by 40-50% as compared to January-February last year, due to objective causes and sometime internal reasons,” Ihar Petryshenka noted.

Speaking about the state of trade and economic relations with the European Union, the first deputy minister of Belarusian Foreign Ministry noted that in the conditions of the economic crisis “everyone is trying to defend one’s economy”. “We are taking steps for the consequences of the crisis not to be so heavy,” Petryshenka said. As said by him, “there is no county in the world today which is not affected by the global economic and financial crisis”.

“It is particularly felt in our country with its export-oriented economy,” said the first deputy Foreign minister said.

The Charter’97 comment: According to official statistics, the GDP in Belarus in January allegedly grew by 2%. However, the total cost of ready products stock is 6 trillion Br, or 84.6% of the average month volume of production as compared to 50.2% as of February 1, 2008.