Foreign currency will be withdrawn from exchange offices

The National Bank of Belarus suggested a number of big Belarusian banks to withdraw foreign currency they buy from individuals in exchange offices.

The withdrawn currency is supposed to be sold and spent on social aims.

BelTA news agency learnt this from the chief of information department of the National Bank, Alyaksandr Timashenka.

According to him, the National Bank sent letters to the financial institutions, recommending them to views an issue on restricting operations performed by foreign exchange offices in shopping centres and markets only to buying foreign cash at Belarusian rubles.

The bought foreign currency will be sold by banks to individuals for social needs (medical treatment abroad, accommodation and education abroad, going abroad due to an illness or death of a family member, etc).

Alyaksandr Timashenka reminds that active work on satisfying population's demand for foreign currency for social needs is demonstrated by Belarusbank. The bank accumulates foreign cash buying it from individuals in foreign exchange offices at border crossing points, recreation facilities and sell it to population. Belinvestbank, Belagroprombank and Paritetbank have joined this socially important initiative.

We remind that Belarusians, not included in the list of “socially important”, have to stand queues to exchanges offices for weeks hoping that someone will sell foreign currency at the official exchange rate. They will lose this last opportunity now.