Belarus expects $500m in 2nd tranche of Russia’s loan in 1H21 – FinMin

<p> MINSK, Feb 3 - PrimePress. Belarus expects to receive $500 million in the second tranche of the Russian state loan in the first half of 2021, Belarusian Finance Minister Yuri Seliverstov told reporters on February 3, 2021. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “It has been decided, basically, that it [second tranche] will come this year. We expect it in the first half of the year,” said Seliverstov. </p> <p>   </p> <p> The Belarusian-Russian intergovernmental agreement on the Russian state loan in two tranches, $500 million each, was signed on December 21, 2020 in Moscow. The Belarusian Finance Ministry informed on December 30, 2021 that the first tranche, $500 million in equivalent, had been received. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said in September 2020 that intergovernmental loans would be denominated in Russian rubles and would be provided for up to 10 years. Loan rates are supposed to be pegged to the price of federal loan bonds of the Russian Federation with a small premium. The weighted average yield on federal loan bonds is currently at 2.7-2.8%. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Belarus also received a $500 million loan from the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD) in October 2020. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that money would be used to pay off a $200 million debt for Russian natural gas, and the rest to finance coronavirus response measures. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Lukashenko on September 14, 2020 that Russia would lend Belarus $1.5 billion. End </p> <p>   </p>

2021-02-04

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