1 Jul 2010 15:16

Belarusian public debt rises 9.6% in Jan-May

MINSK. July 1 (Interfax) - Belarusian public debt rose 9.3% in January-May 2010 to 33.385 trillion Belarusian rubles (Br), the Finance Ministry told Interfax.

The debt edged up 0.3% in May after dropping 0.6% in April and increasing 7.6% in March.

Foreign debt increased 5.6% to $8.330 billion (including a decrease of 1.2% in May) and rose 10.8% in national currency equivalent to 24.991 trillion Br. Direct debt rose 5.3% in January-May (but declined 1.2% in May) to $8.192 billion and guaranteed debt was up 23.2% to $138.7 million.

Domestic debt grew 6.4% to 8.394 trillion Br in January-May (including an increase of 0.8% in May). Direct debt fell 10.8% to 2.208 trillion Br in the five months (including a decline of 2.7% in May), and guaranteed debt grew 14.2% to 6.187 trillion Br (up 2.7% in May).

State debt rose 81.6% to 30.449 trillion Belarusian rubles (Br) in 2009 or 22.3% of GDP. Foreign state debt soared 112% to $7.891 billion or 16.5% of GDP in 2009 following growth of 60% in 2008. Domestic debt shrank 8.1% to 7.887 trillion Br or 5.8% of GDP in 2009 after rising 40% in 2008.

The official exchange rate on July 1 was 3,020 Br/$1.