Belarusian president sets task for 3.5 pct GDP growth in 2018

MINSK, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has set a target of 3.5 percent growth in Belarus' GDP by 2018, the press service of the Belarusian leader said Sunday.

The Belarusian leader on Sunday signed a decree on the tasks for social and economic development of Belarus in 2018, the press service said.

The main goals in 2018 are to increase the competitiveness of the economy, ensure sustainable economic growth and create additional conditions for its acceleration in subsequent years, the document said.

The decree establishes a list of key parameters that are key indicators of the effectiveness of the work of the government and the National Bank. It is projected that the Belarusian economy in 2018 will grow by 3.5 percent, and export of goods and services by 5.7 percent. The main task is also to ensure a practically zero foreign trade balance so that Belarus can pay off foreign debts.

The document said that the National Bank and the Government of Belarus are instructed by the President of Belarus to take the necessary measures to limit the price growth in 2018 by no more than 6 percent. Enditem