OREANDA-NEWS. On February 11, 2007 President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met with Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky to receive his report. The Premier reported on the country’s economic performance in January 2008, reported the Official website http://president.gov.by.

As informed in earlier reports, one of the economic targets set by the President for 2008 was to increase Belarus’ GDP by 8-9 per cent and ensure its additional increase by 2 per cent points.

Sergei Sidorsky informed Alexander Lukashenko that in January the Government, having collaborated with respective ministries and agencies, was busy developing schemes of cooperation between state management bodies to meet these objectives. The meeting also considered the decisions to be taken to improve the country’s economic performance at the regional level. Special attention will be paid to encouraging economic growth in small and medium towns.

The GDP growth in Belarus in January was 8,3 per cent. Good results were reported by the manufacturing industry. However, the Premier said, some industries were underperforming: the production growth in the agriculture industry was 3,5 per cent in January 2008, while the target had been 8-9 per cent. The issues of further development of the national agricultural sector will be in the spotlight at a session of the Council of Ministers of Belarus on 12 February.