The Belarusian economy: are real changes on the way?
At this event we discussed where the economy of Belarus is heading, and what this implies for the EU.
Speakers
Georg Zachmann
Bruegel Senior fellow
Rumen Dobrinsky
Senior Research Associate, wiiw,
Kateryna Bornukova
Academic Director, BEROC,
Dzmitry Kruk
Researcher, BEROC,
Robert Kirchner
Consultant, German Economic Team in Belarus,
Alexander Zaborovski
Senior Adviser to the Governor, National Bank of Belarus,
SUMMARY
Belarus’ economy has survived with only limited market reforms since the end of the Soviet Union.
This was helped by injections of cash from Russia in return for strategic assets and political concessions. This model is challenged on various levels. Prices of commodities that Belarus exports have fallen, the main geographic market for manufactured goods (CIS) is in recession and the capacity of Russia to lend economic support has declined. At the same time, Belarus started serious discussions with the IMF on a program, which would involve deep structural reforms. So chances for a real economic transition in Belarus are higher than at any time in the past decade.
EVENT MATERIALS
Presentation by Kateryna Bornukova
Presentation by Dzmitry Kruk
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