NTV news report about upcoming devaluation cut out by censorship in Belarus (Video)

A news report about the situation in Belarus shown on NTV channel (Russia) was cut out as it was broadcast in Belarus.

The story was announced at the beginning of the programme, but an ad block was shown instead of a reportage from Minsk, a reader of charter97.org says.

Below is the censored news story:

Prices of bread, vodka and milk went up in Belarus. An increase in cigarettes prices is next in turn.

It was the fall of one of the main bastions that has been protecting the Belarusian policy of social stability from attacks of numerous critics – vodka prices grew 50%. Earlier, bread and milk prices rose. Cigarettes are next in turn to go up on November 1.

The horror-stories and expectations of painful devaluation were caused by the news that Belarus will face the foreign debt payment peak next year. The country will have to pay more than 3 billion dollars.  

The government, however, forecasts a 8.5% economy growth and accuses the opposition of inciting panic among people. A mission of the International Monetary Fund has completed its work in Belarus. The IMF assessed the country’s paying capacity because the Belarusian governments wants a new loan programme. The mission head offered Belarusians to live within their means and stop printing money.

David Hofman, the IMF mission head: “We told the Belarusian government: deep structural reforms are needed to reduce inflation and ensure sustainable output.”

Under structural reforms the IMF official means among others the privatisation of state-run enterprises, the list of which was made long ago. The list contains several key economic enterprises. Lukashenka even set prices for them.

The businessmen interested in the deal find the prices too overrated, but the Belarusian head of state gave to understand several times he wouldn't trade, NTV correspondent Aleksei Prokin reports.