The period of the 2000 series banknotes exchange comes to an end on 31 December 2021, BelTA learned from the information and media liaison department at the National Bank of Belarus.

As from 1 January 2022, the banknotes of the denominations 100, 500, 1 000, 5 000, 10 000, 20 000, 50 000, 100 000, 200 000 Belarusian ruble of the 2000 series will be deemed invalid (will lose the force of the legal tender).

These denominations can be exchanged for the banknotes and coins of the 2009 series in the cash offices of the National Bank without restrictions and charges. The exchange rate is 10 000 Belarusian ruble of the 2000 series to 1 Belarusian ruble in the banknotes of the 2009 series.

The cash offices of the National Bank are located at the following address: Minsk, 6 Tolstogo street. Working schedule: 9:00 – 16:00, Friday –9:00 – 15:00. Saturday and Sunday – days off.

In line with Decree No. 450 “Concerning the redenomination of the official currency of the Republic of Belarus” of 4 November 2015, the Belarusian ruble was redenominated on 1 July 2016. Seven denominations of new banknotes of the 2009 series were put into circulation - Br5, Br10, Br20, Br50, Br100, Br200 and Br500 and eight denominations of coins - 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 kopecks, as well as Br1 and Br2.

Source: БелТА

As of 1 October 2021 Belarus' external public debt totaled $18.2 billion, $0.3 billion or 1.8% down since the beginning of the year (taking into account differences in currency exchange rates), BelTA learned from the Belarusian Finance Ministry.

In January-September 2021 the Belarusian government borrowed the equivalent of $1,035.9 million, including $836 million from the Russian government, $155.3 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), $20 million from the OPEC International Development Fund, $14.9 million from the Export-Import Bank of China, and $9.7 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB).

In January-September 2021 Belarus spent $1,381.3 million to repay the external public debt, including $608.8 million to the Russian government and Russian banks, $406.9 million to Chinese banks, $276.6 million to the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD), $83.4 million to the IBRD, $4.9 million to the EBRD and the NIB, and $0.7 million to the U.S. Commodity Credit Corporation.

As of 1 October 2021 Belarus' public debt totaled Br57.1 billion, Br0.7 billion or 1.3% down since the beginning of the year.

The internal public debt amounted to Br11.3 billion as of 1 October. Taking into account differences in currency exchange rates, the internal public debt went up by Br1.4 billion or 14.4% since the beginning of the year.

In January-September 2021 the Belarusian government sold $817.5 million and Br191 million worth of domestic government bonds nominated in foreign and national currencies to individuals and corporations and redeemed $132 million and Br92.2 million worth of government bonds nominated in foreign and national currencies from corporations and individuals.

Source: БелТА

There are plans to commission six energy sources powered by local fuel and energy resources with the total output capacity of 21.5MW in Minsk Oblast in 2022, representatives of the Minsk Oblast administration told BelTA.

An extensive program has been put together on commissioning various energy sources powered by local fuel and energy resources in Minsk Oblast in the next few years. As many as 16 energy sources of the kind with the output capacity of 105.5MW will be commissioned in 2022-2025. It will increase the share of locally available fuel and energy resources in the total consumption of furnace fuel from 33% to 44%. In particular, six energy sources powered by local fuel and energy resources with the total output capacity of 21.5MW will be built in Minsk Oblast in 2022. They will be used to heat homes and social facilities.

Four energy sources powered by local fuel and energy resources with the total output capacity of 50MW have been commissioned in Minsk Oblast this year. Those are boiler houses in the towns of Krupki and Slutsk, the village of Borovlyany, Minsk District, and the village of Vorontsy, Myadel District. The boiler house in Vorontsy will allow increasing the usage of local fuel and energy resources by 14,172 tonnes of reference fuel and reducing natural gas consumption by 4.49 million m3 per annum.

As of 1 January 2021 Minsk Oblast utility enterprises operated 891 boiler houses, including 564 powered by local fuel and energy resources, 250 powered by natural gas, two using liquid fuel, three powered by electricity, and 72 boiler houses relying on several kinds of fuel and energy resources. Their total output capacity makes 2,322.66 Gcal/h.

Source: Minsk-region.gov.by

Belarus plans to build 4.2 million square meters of housing in 2022, Belarus' Architecture and Construction Minister Ruslan Parkhamovich said in an interview with Belarus 1 TV Channel, BelTA has learned.

“Our main task for next year is to build 1.2 million square meters of housing with state support. As for the total housing commissioning in 2022, the state program provides for the construction of 4.2 million square meters of housing, and we plan to fulfill this task,” Ruslan Parkhamovich said.

In January-September 2021, some three million square meters of housing has already been put into operation (the 2021 target is four million square meters). “We will meet the schedule and are currently going ahead of schedule. As for the construction of housing with state support, we have already fulfilled 90% of the task set for the year – 900,000 square meters have already been put into operation,” the minister said.

Source: БелТА

Employees of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Minsk region will conduct massive testing of local roads and rural settlements for four days. From October 22 to 25, inspectors in rural areas will pay special attention to pedestrians, the rules of their transportation, as well as drunk drivers.

Irina Sapunova, senior inspector of the propaganda agitation department of the Traffic Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Executive Committee, told the correspondent of MLYN.BY:

- The testing will be carried out in order to prevent road accidents, as well as the suppression of offenses by road users. Both traffic police officers and other public security police services participate in the events. Control on local roads will be public and unspoken.

Irina Sapunova noted that the priority is to identify violations that are the main causes of accidents with serious consequences.

These are violations on the part of vulnerable road users, especially at night, not giving an advantage to pedestrians, driving vehicles by drivers who are intoxicated and (or) do not have the right to drive, violations of speed limits, as well as rules for the carriage of passengers, especially minors.

Violators will be brought to justice in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus.

- Dear residents of the Minsk region, if you have information that a driver is driving a vehicle in a state of intoxication, or you see drunk pedestrians, cyclists on the roadway, report this to the traffic police on duty by phone: 8 (017) 229-04-44 or 102. The call is free, - said Irina Sapunova.

Source: Minsk-region.gov.by