Pro-government candidates borrow economic rhetoric from opposition candidates

Deputy Prime Minister Vasily Matyushevsky at a joint session of the two chambers of the Belarusian parliament noted that the economy developed according to the pessimistic scenario. It should be noted that the Deputy Prime Minister addressed the Parliament with a rather liberal rhetoric and outlined some of the economic policy mechanisms in the medium term. The announced government measures are likely to lay the basis for economic section in the election programmes of pro-government candidates in the 2016 parliamentary elections. Including, changes in the state support system, introducing leading corporate governance practices at state-owned enterprises; changing government functions, promoting property integrity and minimum intervention by the regulatory authorities, developing small and medium-sized businesses, traditional and innovative economic sectors, raising foreign investment. The government is likely to take the focus off the opposition candidates in the parliamentary campaign by borrowing some of their proposals to reform the economy.