Is ruble devaluation still expected?

Lukashenka said devaluation of national currency will be conducted “as predicted”.

“No fall is expected. Everything will be conducted in planned frames,” he said in Vitsebsk at a session of officials of the Vitsebsk region.

“What concerns Belarusian region, we will be able to control the situation,” the head of state said. According to him, “we have some resources, but we don’t use them today.”

Lukashenka said “the IMF had a positive appraisal of the steps we made”. The head of state also noted that Belarus is ready to listen to critic remarks of the fund’s experts. “We will do everything that doesn’t concern people,” the Belarusian president said.

Lukashenka also added that he is “more worried about the activity of enterprises that buy more than they sell”.

“They take currency, but give nothing to the budget,” A. Lukashenka said.

According to him, “oil and steel have dropped in price now”. In this connection, Lukashenka finds it possible to review price of products made in Belarus.

About bribe-takers, frauds and temporizers

Alyaksandr Lukashenka also noted facts of corruption among the officials of the Vitsebsk region, among them officers of law-enforcement bodies.

“The most disgusting thing is corruption among officials who must struggle against this evil and prevent it,” he said.

The head of state noted that a fact of taking of a bribe by deputy head of the department of financial investigation of the Vitsebsk region has recently been revealed. “Materials are being gathered against some luckless tax officers and officers of judicial agencies are under operative check,” Lukashenka said.

He also added that deputy heads of Orsha and Braslau district executive committees, director of Navapolatsk plant of protein vitamin concentrates have been brought to criminal responsibility for the last two years. 9 corruption criminal cases were instigated in the system of the Vitebsk region consumer union, Lukashenka noted.

The Belarusian ruler emphasised, “no bribe-takers, frauds and other temporizers.”

“Officials, who have showed their unsuitability for management activity, who have compromised themselves, mustn’t be transferred to other executive positions,” Lukashenka told.