Łukašenka takes pride in his price freeze decision

November 7, BPN. Belarus is governed “quite well,” as demonstrated by the decision to freeze prices, Alaksandr Łukašenka said at a November 7 informal meeting with the journalists from the state-run media outlets.

“The whole power vertical lined up as soon as I gave orders,” Łukašenka was quoted as saying by his press office. “Businesses did too, both state-run and private.”

Łukašenka signed a directive to freeze consumer prices on October 6, in a bid to curb galloping inflation. He demanded that any price increases should be authorized by the state. On October 10, has said the freeze was only a short-term measure.

On October 19, the government introduced profit margin caps to control prices for 370 items, removing some of them from the list a week later.

Belarus posted inflation of 17.4 percent in the first nine months.