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Lukashenka orders GDP growth target met

Alyaksandr Lukashenka on Tuesday ordered the government to ensure that this year's GDP growth reaches the target of five to 5.5 percent.

While speaking at a meeting with Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich, the Belarusian leader emphasized the importance of GDP growth.

"They say that it is export that is more important than GDP," he said at the meeting, which was also attended by Presidential Administration head Andrey Kabyakow, Economy Minister Mikalay Snapkow, Finance Minister Andrey Kharkavets and presidential aide Pyotr Prakapovich.

"I realize that export is crucial to us but there will be no high export volumes without GDP. It is clear that we have an economy where an increase in exports and GDP leads to an increase in imports. So let's make goods with a greater added value," he suggested

Mr. Lukashenka said that there were many economic problems in countries around Belarus.

Mr. Myasnikovich promised that all of Mr. Lukashenka's directives would be fulfilled.

Belarus' GDP growth totaled 2.5 percent from September through September and slowed down to 2.2 percent in the first 10 months of this year. //BelaPAN