MINSK, 21 December (BelTA) – Starting from 1 January, Belarus should have a clear, intelligible system of price regulation, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a government meeting to discuss price regulation mechanisms on 21 December, BelTA has learned.
"Manufacturers, businessmen, traders and others who provide services should not run to the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade (MART), to other ministries or to the government to negotiate prices. Starting from 1 January, we should have a clear, intelligible system of price regulation," the Belarusian leader said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko explained with a specific example: "You have a 3% annual increase across some groups of goods or in general. That's it. You project certain increases in the first quarter, second and third quarters and deflation of 0.1% in Q4. Thus people will understand how to build pricing. There should be a clear, intelligible system."
The president instructed the government to revisit this issue and stressed that the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade should not be engaged in coordinating prices. "Listen, how many people will MART have to employ to monitor and coordinate all these matters? I want the government to revisit the issue, set the tasks for everyone: price controllers, MPs, the prime minister. If there is a need, get me engaged. But the thing must be sorted out," he said.
The head of state stated that this year the inflation in Belarus has significantly decreased, including thanks to the measures to regulate pricing. Skeptics argued that such measures could push a number of players out from the market. But the situation is absolutely normal.
"The inflation hovers around 5-6%. We projected 6% or under 7%. At some point it was running as high as 19%. Everyone argued against these measures saying that companies would leave and that there would be no traders left. But we do have those who are doing trade. If some do not like it in Belarus, the door is open, both ways," the Belarusian leader summed up.