The population of Belarus should remain calm about minor fluctuations in currency exchange rates - P.Prokopovich

March 29, Minsk / BelTA /. The population of Belarus should remain calm about minor fluctuations in currency exchange rates. This opinion was expressed by the Chairman of the Board of the National Bank, Pyotr Prokopovich, on March 26 during a report to the President of Belarus, BelTA was informed by the press service of the head of state. As Pyotr Prokopovich reported, the exchange rate of the Belarusian ruble against the currency basket at the end of the first two months of 2010 remains stable, predictable, and fully complies with the Main Directions of Monetary Policy. During this period, the exchange rate of the Belarusian ruble against the basket of foreign currencies decreased by 0.7% (with a planned corridor of +/- 10%). As for fluctuations within the basket, as the head of the National Bank explained, this depends on the fluctuations of the currencies included in the basket, namely the dollar, euro, and Russian ruble. "Unfortunately, these currencies are unpredictable, their fluctuations are significant, sometimes reaching about 1% on certain days. There are constant fluctuations of the dollar against the euro, and the dollar against the Russian ruble. Naturally, these fluctuations also affect us in the republic," Pyotr Prokopovich said. He also recalled that recently there have been processes of dollar strengthening and euro weakening. According to the Chairman of the Board of the National Bank, it is difficult to predict these processes further, however, given the constantly changing situation, one can expect the euro to strengthen in the near future. Pyotr Prokopovich believes that the country's citizens should remain calm about these processes. "The main thing is that we have no fluctuations of the Belarusian ruble against the currency basket, and we will fulfill what we promised at the beginning of the year to keep fluctuations within the +/- 10% corridor and not go beyond it. There are all opportunities to strengthen the national currency by the end of the year. Therefore, the population should remain calm about the minor fluctuations observed today in the currency market," the head of the National Bank emphasized. -0-