Belarus public debt 4.7% up to Br121.8 trillion in January-October

MINSK, 30 November (BelTA) - The public debt of Belarus stood at Br121.8 trillion as of 1 November 2012, up by 4.7% or Br5.5 trillion since the beginning of the year, representatives of the Belarusian Finance Ministry told BelTA.

The increase in the public debt in October 2012 is primarily attributed to the increase in the domestic debt, the source said. Since the beginning of the year the domestic public debt has gained Br980.6 billion to reach Br18.8 trillion as of 1 November 2012, with the limit set at Br34 trillion. The increase in the domestic public debt in 2012 is attributed to the weaker Belarusian ruble and the floatation of long-term government bonds.

As of 1 November 2012 the external public debt stood at $12.1 billion, up by $275.6 million since the beginning of the year, with the limit at $14.3 billion. The increase in the external debt in 2012 is mainly attributed to Belarus getting loans from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the EurAsEC Anticrisis Fund, and from Chinese banks.