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Belarus has highest inflation rate among post-Soviet nations in first 11 months of 2012

Belarus had the highest inflation rate in the first 11 months of 2012 among the post-Soviet nations.

Consumer prices reportedly rose by 20.1 percent in Belarus in January-November against 6.3 percent in Tajikistan, six percent in Russia, 5.9 percent in Kyrgyzstan, 5.3 percent in Kazakhstan, 3.5 percent in Estonia and Moldova, 2.9 percent in Lithuania, 1.6 percent in Latvia, and 1.1 percent in Armenia.

Consumer prices fell by 0.4 percent in Ukraine, one percent in Azerbaijan and 1.1 percent in Georgia.

In Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, consumer prices reportedly increased by 3.3 and 1.1 percent, respectively, in the first nine months of the year.

In the self-proclaimed Republic of Transdniestria (Transnistria), Moldova, consumer prices rose by 9.5 percent in the first 11 months of 2012.

With an increase of 1.7 percent, Belarus had the highest rise in consumer prices in November compared with a 1.4-percent increase in Armenia, a one-percent increase in Azerbaijan, a 0.8-percent increase in Kyrgyzstan, a 0.7-percent increase in Kazakhstan, a 0.5-percent increase in Moldova, a 0.3-percent increase in Russia, a 0.2-percent increase in Tajikistan, and a 0.1-percent increase in Georgia. Consumer prices fell by 0.1 percent in Ukraine and Latvia, 0.2 percent in Lithuania, and 0.3 percent in Estonia.

Last year Belarus had an inflation rate of 108.7 percent, which was 12 to 54 times higher than in the other post-Soviet countries, whereas the government had projected an increase of 7.5 to 8.5 percent in consumer prices.

Consumer prices reportedly rose by 9.9 percent in Belarus in 2010, which was the third highest rise among the post-Soviet countries. //BelaPAN