MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th November, 2020) The Belarusian Government has authorized the finance ministry to conduct negotiations with the OPEC Fund for International Development on a loan agreement to ensure that Belarus will receive a $20 million loan for 18 years to finance the country's health care system, the government decree, published on the Belarusian national legal internet portal on Friday, read.
"With an aim to obtain in 2020-2022 a $20 million external government loan from the OPEC Fund for International Development for a period of 18 years Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus decrees: 1. Approve the draft of the loan agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the OPEC Fund for International Development," the document said.
According to the decree, the government has authorized the Belarusian Finance Ministry to negotiate the deal and sign the loan agreement.
"2. Authorize the Finance Ministry to: conduct the negotiations on the draft of the loan agreement...; sign the loan agreement, if arrangements are made under the approved draft," the document added.
On Tuesday, Belarusian Finance Minister Yuri Seliverstov said that the country's budget revenues would fall $1.2 billion short of the plan this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the World Health Organization, Belarus has confirmed 109,357 COVID-19 cases, with 1,022 deaths. Belarus has seen a surge in the COVID-19 infection rate in recent weeks � the country is registering approximately 1,000 new cases a day on average.
On Thursday, the Belarusian Health Ministry introduced a mandatory mask regime in the capital of Minsk.
