Belarus has highest inflation rate among post-Soviet nations

Belarus had the highest rise in consumer prices among the post-Soviet nations in both October and the first 10 months of 2013, according to official statistical data.

Consumer prices reportedly rose by 12 percent in Belarus in January-October 2013 compared with 5.3 percent in Russia, 3.6 percent in Kazakhstan and Moldova, 3.5 percent in Armenia, 3.1 percent in Tajikistan, 2.5 percent in Estonia, two percent in Kyrgyzstan, one percent in Azerbaijan, 0.6 percent in Lithuania, and 0.5 percent in Georgia.

Consumer prices did not change in Latvia and fell by 0.2 percent in Ukraine. Consumer prices in Turkmenistan reportedly fell by 0.5 percent in the first nine months of the year. No data were available for Uzbekistan.

In the self-proclaimed Republic of Transdniestria (Transnistria), Moldova, consumer prices reportedly rose by 2.9 percent in the first 10 months of the year.

With an increase of 1.9 percent, Belarus ranked first in terms of consumer price growth in October, compared with a 1.5-percent rise in Georgia, a 1.3-percent rise in Moldova, a 0.7-percent rise in Azerbaijan, a 0.6-percent rise in Russia, a 0.4-percent rise in Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine, and a 0.3-percent rise in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Latvia and Tajikistan. Consumer prices fell by 0.2 percent in Lithuania and by 0.3 percent in Estonia.

Belarus had the highest inflation among the post-Soviet nations in 2011 and 2012, with a 108.7-percent and a 21.8-percent rate, respectively.