National Bank of Belarus actually declared devaluation of the Belorussian rouble. All restrictions on purchase and sale of foreign currency are removed from now. This decision should stabilize rouble exchange rate which has seriously fallen in price during last month, authorities declare. Experts consider that strong inflation and commodity deficiency awaits the republic.
From the end of March inhabitants of Belarus captured exchange points being afraid of devaluation. The authorities had to spend gold and exchange currency reserves on struggle against rouble exchange rate growth and banks lacking foreign currency entered a number of restrictions on its trading. As a result in the middle of April the power was compelled to cancel restrictions on currency trading in the interbank market, after it dollar grew in price almost twice there - up to 6 thousand Belorussian roubles.
To the middle of April inflation in the country made 8,7%, having already exceeded the level in 8.5% planned for the year. Essential commodities rise in price by 15-20% a week.
Now they give 4 thousand Belorussian roubles for dollar in exchange points of Minsk, however the American currency costs much more in the black markets.
- Actually, it's now the same situation in Belarus as it used to be in Russia during Gaydar's reforms, - editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk Anatoly Baranov considers. - From the beginning of current year Lukashenko declared privatization of objects of national economy. It's clear that there is no sufficient money for privatization in the country, it means that he only way to receive control over means of production is to depreciate them. Then serious objects will pass into private property at the price next lower order, than they can really cost. Balance cost is estimated in national currency - its devaluation will allow to buy, say, factory at the dollar price of the Moscow two-room apartment. Then the property can be resold favourably to foreigners, say, to the Russians. Now citizens of Belarus will not pay attention to privatization - they will try to survive somehow, later - it will be already late.
Minsk all the same should ask Moscow for stabilization credit. Earlier Belarus was allocated $3 billion from Anti-recessionary fund of EAEC. However the head of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation Alexey Kudrin recognized today that these means which would be transferred in sums of $1 billion a year till 2013 wouldn't be enough - it's quite transparent hint that the Russian capitalists would like to participate in the Belorussian privatization directly, not at intermediary of the local nomenclature.
Kudrin told that it's quite possible that Lukashenko's government should address for financial support to International Monetary Fund - then conditions will be even more rigid, IMF for certain will demand access of the international capital to privatization.
- All this is a big filth, - Anatoly Baranov considers. - It means that citizens of Belarus will actually pay for privatization at the expense of sharp decrease in their standard of living, at that they will pay "instead of some guy", no matter foreign or local he is. Certainly, all it will happen under howls about "special way", "the Belorussian model" and even "the Belorussian socialism". The end could be one - people will be robbed.
