Minsk coat

30 October 2008 By Mike Prest

The authoritarian east European country is in talks with the intergovernmental lender on a possible $2bn loan. Economic reforms and asset sales could be part of the deal. The IMF should be firm. The newfound leniency in the financial crisis need not apply to everyone.

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Belarus is in talks with the International Monetary Fund about a $2bn loan.

The country, which has a population of almost 10m, borders Poland, Russian and Ukraine. It was a republic of the Soviet Union and become independent in 1991. Minsk is the capital. It had a Gross National Income per capita of $2,760 in 2006.

Supporters of Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus, won all 110 seats in parliamentary elections in September.

The IMF is involved in assistance programmes for Hungary and Ukraine.

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