OREANDA-NEWS. September 09, 2011. Belarus’ GDP may grow 5%-6% in 2011, head of the central department for economic analysis and forecasting with the Economy Ministry, Anton Dolgovechny, told reporters.

“We expect a growth below the original forecast of 9%-10%, around 5%-6%,” he said.

He said it was hard to make precise forecasts because of the multiplicity of exchange rates. “This multiplicity of rates is not transparent, because the currency market is segmented, and we do not have real information about the rates at which transactions are closed,” he said.

“How can we forecast GDP growth and CPI then? We have no benchmarks for the market or other ways to make forecasts,” Dolgovechny said.

Dolgovechny did not mention the forecasts for inflation this year for the same reason. He said consumer prices would keep growing.

As for Belarus’ foreign trade deficit, it is likely to amount to 8.9%-9% of GDP in 2011. “I am not ready to give specific figures, but we believe we will not only meet the target, but also manage to exceed it,” he said.