OREANDA-NEWS. December 07, 2009. Belarus’ state foreign debt went up 11.4% on the month in October to USD 6.898 billion as of November 1, 2009, an official with the Finance Ministry.In January-October, the foreign debt increased 85.5%.

The government’s long-term debt accounted for 98.2% of the total foreign debt, government’s short-term debt for 0%, and foreign loans to companies’ against the government’s security for 1.8%. As of November 1, 2008, the figures were at 98.1%, 0% and 1.9%.

The increase in the foreign state debt was due to the receipt of the first three tranches of the IMF loan – the first USD 787.9 million tranche of the was received in January 2009, the second tranche, amounting to USD 679.2 million, was received in July, and the third USD 699.5 million tranche was received in October. In March 2009, Belarus receive a USD 500 million loan from Russia.

Belarus’ main creditors are Russia, Venezuela, Germany, the U.S., the IMF and the World Bank. In 2008, Belarus’ foreign debt surged 58.9% to USD 3.719 billion as of January 1, 2009.