BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

17/04/2009

Russian state may help some Belarus firms-reports

MOSCOW, April 16 (Reuters) - Belarussian companies that work closely with Russia could become entitled to state help as part of Moscow's anti-crisis measures, Russian Economy Minister Elvira Nabiullina was quoted as saying on Thursday.

Moscow has made a list of key strategic companies that are entitled to state help as the Russian economy slips into its first recession in a decade.

'We have agreed with the Belarussian side a list of companies which can be considered as candidates for state support measures,' Russian news agencies quoted Nabiullina as telling Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

'These companies are in close cooperation (with Russia).'

Russia, which holds the world's third-largest gold and forex reserves, has taken on a self-styled 'big brother' role in the region of the former Soviet Union, handing out loans to help some of its neighbours through the global economic crisis.

Last year it granted Belarus -- arguably its political ally in the region -- a $2 billion 15-year stabilisation loan .

(Writing by Toni Vorobyova; Editing by Andrew Macdonald)

Source:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2009/04/16/afx6299687.html

Google
 


Partners:
Face.by Social Network
Face.by