Lukashenko demands fair prices, warns against price hikes

There is no way prices in Belarus will spiral out of control, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the government meeting to discuss the country's economic performance in 2022 and map out plans to address social and economic development tasks for 2023, BelTA has learned. “Of course, we pay a lot of attention to keeping inflation in check. Prices are the number one issue for people. We should never allow the kind of price hike that we saw last autumn. Use whatever methods you want (monetary, regulatory and administrative ones) to keep it at around 7%. This figure should be a red line for businesses, manufacturers and trade. Otherwise, the toughest measures will be taken. We cannot allow prices to go out of control. Prices should be fair,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed. At the same time, the head of state noted that it is equally important to maintain a broad assortment of products on store shelves. “Food, medicines, consumer goods and household products - everything should be in abundance. The priority should be given to domestic manufacturers. Therefore, the primary task of the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade, the Agriculture and Food Ministry, the Belgospishcheprom concern and local authorities is to ensure uninterrupted supplies of goods, including foodstuffs, to the domestic market. The rest can be sold abroad. Make money on export. Help subordinate organizations to optimize costs. If you sort things out, you will work efficiently even in the most stringent regulation. And people will understand us and accept it gladly,” the president said. Aleksandr Lukashenko demanded that all social commitments should be fulfilled unconditionally. “This is a social contract between the authorities and the people,” he said. “The priority tasks for us are to increase the salaries of public sector employees and the military, to support families with children and pensioners. That was what we actually did in 2022, when Br32 billion was allocated for these purposes, up by Br3 billion over 2021. No matter how difficult it is, the state must find resources for this,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.