Belarus will not raise prices for goods to the level of neighboring countries - A. Lukashenko

June 17, Minsk /BELTA/. Belarus will not raise prices for goods to the level of neighboring countries. This was stated by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko today at a press conference for central and regional Belarusian media, a BELTA correspondent reports.

Answering the question of whether prices in Belarus will rise to the level of neighboring countries, Alexander Lukashenko said: "No. If we have such prices or slightly higher, we will not sell our goods. Nevertheless, the price here must be kept a little lower. And besides, we have no need for such prices as there. There is too much market economy and other burdens. Therefore, despite the cheapness of natural gas and oil, they have corresponding prices."

"We will keep prices close to this, but so that they are slightly lower, so that they still buy our goods. There will be no panic demand, but they will buy goods," the President noted.

"Why do we raise prices? Because the dollar has become more expensive. But I ask another question: do we need to tie all this to the dollar in this case? Who guarantees that the dollar will remain at the same level when we start market regulation? And if it becomes Br4.5 thousand for $1? What is the point of raising prices then?" the President emphasized.

 "Therefore, as for pricing, we need to proceed here not by leaps and bounds, as the price cannot be lowered later, but gradually. Then, when we see that there is no need to raise prices, we will stop," he added.

In addition, Alexander Lukashenko announced that the state will continue to support low-income segments of the population. "We have indexed student scholarships. By September, I have instructed to index scholarships again. We will see what the situation will be. We have helped pensioners. We will index children's allowances, we will feed them. I have even now forbidden to move on housing and communal services, although from 26% (of the share of payment by the population for housing and communal services. - BELTA note) we have fallen to 23%. And we need to reach at least 30%," the head of state emphasized.-0-