Prices in Minsk restaurants going wild

This is recognized in the Minsk city executive committee.

Chairman of Minsk city executive committee Nikolai Ladutko said at the operative meeting that prices in Minsk restaurants are going wild.

"Some ordinary salad costs Br100 thousand, while the main course - about Br300-400 thousand. Prices in Belarus are higher than in countries where the population has better income. Our foreign guests point out to it, as well," he said.

"And we are not talking about the delicacies like scallops. The increase in prices of the most common food at restaurants is disproportionate with the rising prices of food, utility services, rent," said the official, "Minsk-news."

In turn, head of the main consumer market of Minsk city executive committee Valentin Baidak notes that there are no serious tools for the regulation of pricing as well as no competition in the restaurant business. According to him, Minsk almost 2.5-3-fold lags behind St. Petersburg, Moscow, Prague and capitals of the Baltic States in the number of seats in restaurants and cafes. In this regard, Minsk growth rate is 3% annually, while that of Moscow and St. Petersburg - 20%.

Nikolai Ladutko instructed to review the work of cafes and restaurants in the capital and create an action plan to increase the number of catering facilities in Minsk, thereby creating a competitive environment. At the same time, he said there should be some price regulation in the restaurant business.

Alexander Lukashenko took a decision whereby the formation of margins and prices in the restaurants, cafes, bars of the highest and luxury price category, the latter will take place in the light of market conditions and without regulation by the authorities.