Łukašenka vows to control imported goods prices

February 10, BPN. Belarusians should be able to afford imported goods, especially those not produced domestically, Alaksandr Łukašenka has told officials at the meeting on price controls.

Officials at the meeting discussed ways to curb prices and keep inflation under 8 percent in 2023.

The Belarusian ruler credited suppliers, mainly from “friendly Russia and Turkey” for helping Belarus forestall goods shortages.

He described price controls as “the basis of a just peace in Belarus, the main point in the agreement between the government and the people.”

“We have managed to significantly slow down inflation processes in the country,” he added noting a deflation of almost 2 percent recorded in Q4 after the government had tightened price controls in 2022.

Łukašenka admitted that prices for some food items, including dairy, meat, eggs and baby food rose from one to four percent. “This means that the new regulatory system requires further improvement and, as the government says, fine-tuning,” his press office quoted him as saying.

Prosecutors opened about 50 criminal cases over what they saw as unfounded price hikes, he said.

Łukašenka signed the directive to freeze consumer prices in early October 2022, in a bid to curb galloping inflation.