OREANDA-NEWS. On June 15, 2009 the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has met with Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky to receive his report in which the Head of Government informed the President on the national economic performance in January-May 2009. Tthe measures implemented by the Belarusian Government in May this year helped sustain the positive economic trends of the January-April period, said the Premier, reported the Official website president.gov.by. 

Industrial production increased by 0.2 per cent in January-May from January-April as the financial and economic performance of businesses steadied.

Agricultural production growth in all types of agricultural businesses was 6.8 per cent, up 0.2 per cent from January-April 2009.

Capital investment upped by 18.9 per cent from the same period in 2008, which is 2.6 per cent more than in January-April 2009. The Government sees it as a good result for the Belarusian economy.

The services sector has been expanding fast lately, the Premier said. A lot has been done within the realm of small and medium-sized business.

A total of 1.895,1 million square metres worth of residential housing was put in service during the first five months of 2009, or 17.1 per cent more than during the same period in 2008.

The index of the export of goods and services in January-April 2009 was 54.2 per cent as against the same period in 2008, and increased by 0.2 per cent as against the first quarter of 2009; the index of the import of goods and services was 67.4 per cent, down 1 per cent respectively.

There is an ongoing action to boost exports and occupy new niches. This pertains first of all to the mechanical engineering industry products. ‘The Government is carrying out the instructions given by the President to use all the available reserves to expand Belarusian exports. We are advancing in new markets and securing a foothold there,’ said Sergei Sidorsky. However, there is still the issue of overstocked warehouses.

The purposeful and system-based efforts taken by the Government and regional executive committees to stabilise prices in the country helped slow down the growth of prices – inflation was 0.3 per cent (in April it was 0.4 per cent).

The domestic market is stable, pensions and salaries are paid in full, social facilities are fully functional.