English

National Bank head not attending IMF/WB meetings in Washington because of visa problems,

Nadzeya Yermakova, head of the National Bank of Belarus (NBB), had to cancel her visit to Washington, because the US embassy in Minsk had issued an entry visa to her late, Andrey Savinykh, spokesman for the Belarusian foreign ministry, told reporters in Minsk on Thursday.

Mr. Savinykh accused the US of violating its international commitments by issuing the visa late.

“The United States once pledged to ensure free access to events held by international organizations on its territory,” the spokesman said. “Issuing the visa late has created an additional barrier that makes Belarus’ work within the IMF needlessly complicated.”

Ms. Yermakova was to leave for the United States on September 21 as the head of Belarus’ delegation to the Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group that began in Washington on September 22.

An NBB spokesperson, however, told BelaPAN on Thursday morning that Ms. Yermakova was in her office. When asked why she had not left for Washington, the spokesperson replied briefly, “She was not able to go.”

The NBB press office said in a statement issued later in the day that Ms. Yermakova was given the visa only on September 21, after the Belarusian delegation, consisting of Economy Minister Mikalay Snapkow, Finance Minister Andrey Kharkavets and other government officials, had left Minsk by plane.

The visa was issued late despite the fact that the US embassy had received requisite documents in due time, the press office said.

It expressed hope that the US had no intention to deliberately prevent Ms. Yermakova from attending the meetings of “the influential international organizations,” and “solely the sluggishness of certain clerks” was to blame for the incident.

“We are sure that the incident would not affect the further development of the National Bank’s constructive cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank,” the press office said.
It added that the Belarusian delegation currently staying in Washington had all the necessary powers to engage in negotiations with IMF representatives about issues on the mutual agenda.