OREANDA-NEWS. The Government of Belarus plans to keep inflation growth below 12% in 2013, despite the hike in consumer prices early this year, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Pyotr Prokopovich said Friday at a news conference.

Belarus’ consumer prices grew 4.3% in January-February 2013, while the annual forecast stands at 12%.

“We have decided temporarily not to raise consumer prices and utility tariffs. We have also decided in favour of market interventions in other sectors,” Prokopovich said.

“There are no objective reasons for prices to grow in Belarus. All objective factors testify that our consumer prices should be stable,” Prokopovich said.

Belarus’ consumer prices grew 21.8% in 2012, with a 108% inflation growth registered in 2011.