Belarus, Russia consider terms for refinancing Belarus’ debt - Siluanov
<p> MINSK, Sep 1 - PrimePress. The Finance Ministries of Russia and Belarus are considering the technical terms for refinancing Belarus’ debt to Russia, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told reporters on September 1, 2020. </p> <p> </p> <p> “We conduct negotiations at the level of the Finance Ministries. Our leaders had held talks on this also, and now the loan terms and the amount are being looked at from the technical viewpoint,” Siluanov said when asked whether Belarus had applied for the restructuring of its debt. </p> <p> </p> <p> President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said last week that he had discussed the refinancing of $1 billion with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that Moscow and Minsk continue negotiations on this matter. </p> <p> </p> <p> According to the Finance Ministry of Belarus, 2020, Belarus’ external public debt on bilateral loans of the Russian government and Russian Vnesheconombank (VEB.RF) amounted to $7.925 billion as of March 31 (around 48% of Belarus’ total external debt). In 2020, Belarus is to pay $1.25 billion for servicing the Russian part of the national debt. Belarus borrowed $363 million from the Russian government and VEB.RF in the first half of 2020, and paid off $343 million. </p> <p> </p> <p> The Russian government has been turning down Belarus’ refinancing requests since 2018. Last time, Russia lent $700 million to Belarus in 2017. The Russian Finance Ministry considered in the autumn of 2019 a loan to Belarus in the amount of about $630 million to refinance Belarus’ debt to Russia. Later, Lukashenko said that he was not asking Russia for loans, and an agreement was not reached. End </p>
2020-09-02
Primepress
Belarus, Russia consider terms for refinancing Belarus’ debt - Siluanov
MINSK, Sep 1 - PrimePress. The Finance Ministries of Russia and Belarus are considering the technical terms for refinancing Belarus’ debt to Russia, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told reporters on September 1, 2020.
“We conduct negotiations at the level of the Finance Ministries. Our leaders had held talks on this also, and now the loan terms and the amount are being looked at from the technical viewpoint,” Siluanov said when asked whether Belarus had applied for the restructuring of its debt.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said last week that he had discussed the refinancing of $1 billion with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that Moscow and Minsk continue negotiations on this matter.
According to the Finance Ministry of Belarus, 2020, Belarus’ external public debt on bilateral loans of the Russian government and Russian Vnesheconombank (VEB.RF) amounted to $7.925 billion as of March 31 (around 48% of Belarus’ total external debt). In 2020, Belarus is to pay $1.25 billion for servicing the Russian part of the national debt. Belarus borrowed $363 million from the Russian government and VEB.RF in the first half of 2020, and paid off $343 million.
The Russian government has been turning down Belarus’ refinancing requests since 2018. Last time, Russia lent $700 million to Belarus in 2017. The Russian Finance Ministry considered in the autumn of 2019 a loan to Belarus in the amount of about $630 million to refinance Belarus’ debt to Russia. Later, Lukashenko said that he was not asking Russia for loans, and an agreement was not reached. End