OREANDA-NEWS. On January 15, 2009 President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met with Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky to receive his report, reported the Official website http://president.gov.by.

The Prime Minister informed the Head of State on the results of the socio-economic development of the Republic of Belarus in 2008. Most of the targets approved by the President for 2008 were met. GDP rose by 10 per cent, which was a good result considering the world financial crisis.

Specifically, the year was successful for the agricultural industry, with the production of agricultural products rising by 8.9 per cent.

The manufacturing of industrial products rose by 10.8 per cent.

Belarusian industrial manufacturers reported a 9 per cent rise in labour productivity as against 6.9-7.7 per cent that had been projected. The return on sales since the beginning of the year in the manufacturing industry amounted to 16.3 per cent as against the projected 12-13 per cent.

In 2008, a total of 5.1 million sq m of residential houses were built and commissioned as against the projected 4.7 million sq m. It is important that more than 70 per cent of the houses commissioned last year were allotted to those in need of better housing conditions.

However, the consumer price index in 2008 rose above the projected figures to 113.3 per cent, or 1.1 per cent per month. The inflation was mainly driven by external factors – growing prices for energy, raw materials and other products.

The Premier said, 'we entered the year 2009 with a clear-cut set of anti-crisis measures for the economy to work in the conditions of the world economic crisis'.

According to Sergei Sidorsky, the IMF gave a high assessment to the stabilization programme prepared by the Belarusian Government. The IMF specialists made a conclusion that this plan of action was well-balanced. The Premier assured the President that the programme would be implemented in both the real production sector of the economy and in certain social sectors.

All the social programmes planned for 2008 were duly fulfilled. Pensions were increased several times over the course of the year.

The President demanded that in 2009 the economy should be expanding as stably as in 2008; he also said it was necessary that all the social programmes carried out in Belarus be implemented without fail.

The meeting also discussed the situation in some particular sectors of the economy. The President gave detailed instructions as to further development of the Byelorussian Steel Works and Shklov Newsprint Mill, among others. Alexander Lukashenko will be personally overseeing the performance of all Belarusian GDP-forming companies, i.e. companies that contribute most to the growth of the nation’s GDP.

Sergei Sidorsky also reported to the President on the measures to liberalize the Belarusian economy and improve the conditions for doing business in Belarus. The liberalization of the Belarusian economy was the main issue that the President tasked the Government to work on last year. A number of documents were passed that touched upon virtually every sphere of life of the society, including land relations, financial, lease relations, declarative principle of business registration.

In pursuance of the instructions of the President of the Republic of Belarus towards liberalizing the economy and in accordance with the 2008 plan of urgent measures to liberalize the conditions for doing business adopted by the Government of the Republic of Belarus measures were taken to improve the business conditions in the country, which include 11 points relating to all spheres of the economy. The implementation of this plan aims to create a foundation for economic activity and encourage entrepreneurial activities. The Head of State tasked the Government to continue to work actively in this direction by taking effective measures towards liberalizing economic life in Belarus and encouraging private initiative.