OREANDA-NEWS. July 18, 2012. The Government of Belarus finds it possible to restrain inflation growth in 2013 within a range of 9-11% following the anticipated rise in consumer prices by 19-22% in 2012. Belarus’ Vice Prime Minister Sergei Rumas made a statement to this effect in an interview on Thursday.

While making the macroeconomic forecast for 2013, the government plans to look out for inflation and the refinancing rate, as the basic indicators, not GDP growth, Rumas said.

As previously reported, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), which manages assets of the EurAsEC Financial Bailout Fund (FBF), reckons Belarus will succeed in restraining inflation growth within 19-22% in 2012. EDB Managing Director Sergei Shatalov made a statement to that extent in an interview.

With regard to the inflation forecast for 2013, the EDB recommends Belarus should cut it down to 9-11%.

In the meantime, Belarus’ Economy Ministry expects inflation growth in the first half of 2012 to stay under 10%.

“We forecast a 10% inflation growth in the first half of 2012. Overall, in 2012 it is supposed to stay under 20%”, head of the Economy Ministry’s Price Policy Department Igor Fomin informed.