January was the most disastrous month for the Belarusian economy. At least, over the last decade. The country’s GDP plummeted by a record 4.3 percent, this was not even in a very bad 2015. And although officials are convinced that it will not be worse, “bottom”, the national economy, most likely, not yet reached.
“Frozen” project
The main reason for this sharp collapse of the Belarusian economy in the beginning of the year, oddly enough, was the construction sector. New projects not yet start – because obviously the developers are not yet ready to risk your money, and many existing projects are “frozen” – as, for example, budget residential quarter of the arrested businessman Yuri Chizh.
A new wave of layoffs
March was a record in 2016 by month the number of unemployed Belarusians. If employed was a little over 40 thousand people, it is dismissed (for various reasons) almost 56 thousand. As noted by the Belarusian Internet users, it is a district center. Most actively fired workers in industrial enterprises, in construction, trade and transport sector.
Continue to work “on a warehouse”
Habit to produce the goods, despite the fact that no one buys – long game of Belarusian state-owned enterprises. Many have not forgotten last year’s story when one of the Grodno glassworks has produced so many bottles, that the containers had containers to put in the yard.
In April, the stocks of finished goods in warehouses of enterprises increased again by 508 billion rubles! At the same time stocks of textiles, clothing, leather goods and fur became more 3.2 times, and vehicles and equipment – 3 times.
Exports: rapid peak in
The increase in exports is the mantra that I repeat Belarusian officials, saying that have to do with the economy. Statistics for the first quarter of 2016 shows that have so far remained words. For example, the Belarusian enterprises since the beginning of the year was sent abroad goods only at 6.3 billion dollars, which is 16.7% less than in the corresponding period last year.
Moreover, the biggest collapse occurred in exports of petroleum products, which, by the way, the newly confirmed Deputy Prime Minister Vasily Matyushevsky.
A senior official admitted that, of the $ 900 million that Belarus planned to obtain from duties on exports of petroleum products for the first quarter received only 140 million. This means only one thing – the “hole” in the budget is increasing.
Income of the population and the emptying of “potbelly”
And finally, the most important economic indicators – real incomes of the population in January-April decreased by 6.8%. And per head of the population was just over 4.8 million rubles in a month. Moreover, their decline has been going on for more than 15 consecutive months.
The question arises – what do Belarusians? The answer is simple – in April alone, the population had withdrawn from foreign currency deposits in banks more than $ 90 million. In addition, according to experts, the Belarusians are eating not only their monetary savings, but also those that are in glass jars”
As expected, these reserves will last until about the end of the year.
