OREANDA-NEWS. December 18, 2007. A trade deficit in 2008 is expected to amount to $1,4 billion, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky said during a session of the Council of Ministers, reported the Official website www.government.by.

The country has failed to reach a trade surplus. At the same time the gap between the growth of import and export has narrowed. This year Belarus has increased exported by $1,7 billion and this is a good result, but it is not enough.

This year the growth of trade deficit can be justified, the Prime Minister said. A clear plan of action has been drawn up to increase exports in 2008, first of all, export of services. “In 2008, we need to earn $1,5 billion in exports of services,” Sergei Sidorsky said. In his opinion, an increase in export of services can be achieved through construction, transport and tourist services.