Belarusian deputy PM: Russia not opposed to $2 bln loan for Belarus
MINSK. March 22 (Interfax) - Russia is not opposed to providing a $2 billion loan to Belarus, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Pyotr Prokopovich said at a press conference in Minsk on Friday.
"There are no principle objections on Russia's part. But so far the Finance Ministry doesn't know how to do it, since the loan is not budgeted," Prokopovich said.
Belarus will raise external loans "in order to ensure economic stability and restructure external debt," he said.
The cost of servicing the external debt will peak in 2013 and Minsk wants to restructure its payments.
"In order to make the payments, we will borrow a portion abroad. That includes possible receipt of loans from Russia," he said.
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said last week that Russia was considering a loan of $2 billion to Belarus. "The leadership [of the two countries] is examining this issue," he said.
At the same time, he recalled that Belarus failed to meet its commitment to take steps to raise $2.5 billion in privatization sales last year. "If the Belarusian side is able to sell that amount of property this year, it won't need a loan," Siluanov said.
