OREANDA-NEWS. Belarus' authorities have turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with a request to start another credit programme, IMF mission leader David Hofman told a press-conference on Tuesday.

The request was voiced twice, Hofman said. The first time was in September 2014 when a Belarusian government delegation met up with IMF top managers in New York during the Belarus Investment Forum. After the meeting Belarusian Premier Mikhail Myasnikovich told reporters that Belarus had asked the IMF about the possibility of a new credit programme. The request was later voiced a second time during the annual meetings in Washington, Hofman said.

The IMF mission leader would not answer the question about the likely amount of credit support. Asked about the possible timeline of the credit programme, Hofman said it would depend on the economic policy proposals by the Belarusian government.

The purpose of the mission was not to hold talks about a new credit programme, but to get relevant information about the government's economic policy and see whether that policy could be supported by the IMF, Hofman said. The IMF mission has outlined the moves the Belarusian government should make before the parties could start negotiating a new credit programme, Hofman said.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Mr. David Hofman visited Belarus during October 22-28. The team met with Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich, Deputy Prime Minister Piotr Prokopovich, Chair of the Board of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus Nadezhda Yermakova, Minister of the Economy Nikolai Snopkov, Acting Minister of Finance Maksim Yermolovich, officials from the Presidential Administration, and representatives from think tanks, business, and the diplomatic community.