IMF experts may raise privatization issue during Minsk talks
"These are annual consultations that are conducted with the governments of nearly all countries on economic policies in the past year and in the year to come. We will be discussing the possibility of accelerating the pace of growth in the mid term, three to five years," Natalya Kolyadina, the IMF's permanent representative in Minsk, told ERB.
IMF
experts forecast a small economic growth in Belarus next year. Kolyadina says
that the rubel is stable and is not expected to depreciate in the foreseeable
future.
Economist
Yaraslau Ramanchuk argues that the economy is on a shaky ground and that the
government has been pretending to carry out recommendations of foreign experts.
"It will be difficult to deceive the IMF experts, saying that everything
goes well. The government's window-dressing does not meet the requirements set
by the IMF," he commented.
Economist Syarhey Chaly says IMF experts will raise the issue of privatization of five major enterprises and banks, something that it advised in February.
"One
of the conditions was the establishment of a privatization agency and selecting
one or two Western investment consultants. They may come with some proposals
and see what has been done. As far as I understand, the discussion will focus
on preparations for privatization."
The government's compliance with the IMF recommendations is necessary for receiving a new instalment of a stand-by loan from the IMF. Chaly says that the IMF is likely to release the money, about $675 million, in late September, but its decision will be based on both economic and political considerations.
The
IMF is expected to dispatch two more missions in late 2009 and in February 2010
before approving two more installments, said the IMF office in Minsk. Its lending program for Belarus runs
until April 2010.
Photo — Telegraf
