UCP to Myasnikovich: debts of the country exceeds the safety threshold

The Political Council of the United Civic Party (UCP) has petitioned Prime Minister to either confirm or deny a report that Belarus owes some $2.8 billion to Venezuela for crude oil deliveries. 

In its appeal the opposition party’s leadership stresses that it is essential to provide information on the subject to the public for the sake of quashing speculation and rumors. “If Belarus did receive a commodity loan from Venezuela, then what are its terms and when and in what form it is to be repaid?” the petitioners wonder. 

The UCP leadership also expresses concern about the country’s rising foreign debt, saying that expenses on its servicing “sharply lower opportunities for modernizing the economy, education and healthcare.” 

The petition also sounds an alarm over what it describes as too high interest rates on deposits and warns that the government should not let people lose much of their savings through another sharp rubel devaluation. 

“Only a policy of complete transparency ensures trust in government agencies in general and the Belarusian rubel and the banking sector in particular,” says the petition.