MINSK, 10 January (BelTA) – About Br4 billion has been appropriated for servicing the state debt in Belarus in 2023. Belarusian First Deputy Finance Minister Dmitry Kiyko made the statement on the air of the TV Belarusian channel STV, BelTA has learned. Dmitry Kiyko said: “There are issues with the state debt every year. The state budget for the year 2023 has appropriated about Br4 billion for servicing the state debt. Nearly 75% of the sum in currencies of the countries that are...

MINSK, 3 January (BelTA) – The year 2023 has been declared the Year of Peace and Creation in Belarus, BelTA learned from the New Year's Eve address of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko. Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “We declare the next year the Year of Peace and Creation. It corresponds to the spirit of the time and desires of our hearts. I wish peace and goodness to dear Belarus as strongly as you do. I wish good health and kid's laughter to every family. Care of friends and...

MINSK, 28 December (BelTA) - Belarus will manufacture import-substituting goods worth $25 billion by the end of the year, Belarusian Economy Minister Aleksandr Chervyakov said before a meeting of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers, BelTA has learned. "Import substitution has become a key mechanism and tool for countering the sanctions, a driver of industrial growth. It also helps to reduce imports and improve our balance of payments. By the end of the year, Belarus will make...

MINSK, 22 December (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has backed the proposal of the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on extending the visa-free travel procedure, which applies to Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, onto 2023, the Belarus president's press service told BelTA. Belarus waived visas for citizens of Lithuania and Latvia, non-citizens of Latvia as from 15 April 2022 and for citizens of Poland as from 1 July 2022. The current procedure will...

MINSK, 13 December (BelTA) – Registrations rules have been changed for the EU road carriers getting permits on the territory of Belarus, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Transport and Communications Ministry. “On 10 October 2022, EU road carriers got an opportunity to obtain a permit for the international carriage of goods through our country in the Transport Inspectorate of the Belarusian Transport and Communications Ministry. The registration rules for the EU...

MINSK, 5 December (BelTA) - The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO approved the inclusion of the Belarusian nomination file "Straw weaving of Belarus: Art, craft and skills” into the Representative List of intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at its 17th session in Morocco on 1 December, BelTA learned from the Culture Ministry of Belarus. The meeting was attended by Maria Netsvetayeva, deputy head of the Historical and...

MINSK, 2 December (BelTA) - Belarusian merchandise export to Armenia increased to $80 million this year, Belarusian Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Aleksei Bogdanov said at a meeting with Armenian Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan, BelTA has learned. "Our exports to Armenia this year increased by 72% and reached $80 million, while deliveries to Belarus tripled to about $50 million. We see that amid the sanctions Belarus and Armenia are committed to developing trade. Belarus...

MINSK, 23 November (BelTA) – Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Valery Mitskevich met with Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vuong Dinh Hue on 21 November, BelTA learned from the press service of the House of Representatives. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 43rd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The...

MINSK, 15 November (BelTA) – Over 9,000 citizens of the European Union visited Belarus as part of the visa-waiver travel program over the past week, BelTA learned from the State Border Committee of Belarus. "Over the past week, Belarus hosted 9,198 visa-waiver arrivals: 1,805 citizens of Latvia, 6,516 citizens of Lithuania and 877 citizens of Poland. Since the launch of the visa-waiver program for neighboring EU countries, Belarus has hosted 325,942 arrivals: 211,712 Lithuanian...

Belarus had deflation in October, Deputy Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Andrei Kartun told journalists on 9 November, BelTA has learned.