Lithuania: anti-money laundering tactics changed

In a change of anti-money laundering tactics, Lithuania’s authorities open pre-trial investigations even if there are only suspicions about the origin of money, Mindaugas Petrauskas, deputy director of the Financial Crime Investigation Service (FNNT), said. According to him, the state received 4 million euros in extra revenue last year, even though the investigations were discontinued.…

Ukraine: industrial output up in April 2019

Industrial output in Ukraine in April accelerated to 5.2% from 2.1% in March. With calendar adjustment, industrial production growth in Ukraine in April accelerated to 4.4% YoY against 2.7% in March, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine has said. Industrial production in April compared to March decreased by 1.8% without calendar adjustment, but saw a…

Turkmenistan: cooperation with India to be intensified

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the convincing victory of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the general parliamentary elections. The Turkmen president expressed confidence that the high level of bilateral relations would continue to serve as a solid basis for enhancing Turkmen-Indian cooperation and interstate relations covering the…

Georgia: lari devaluation shot-term

The Georgian national currency, the lari, has depreciated in value against the US dollar and the euro in recent days, with $1 costing 2.7799 GEL, while 1 EUR costs 3.0954 GEL. Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze says that “it seems this is a short-term effect and this will be regulated in the nearest future”. Bakhtadze…

Ukraine: retail trade up in January-April 2019

Retail trade in Ukraine grew by 7.9% YoY in comparable prices in January-April 2019, to UAH 319.887 billion ($12.3 billion). Retail turnover increased the most in Vinnytsia region (by 13.2%, to UAH 5.167 billion or $197.9 million), Kyiv region (by 12.1% to UAH 17.798 billion or $681.7 million), Ivano-Frankivsk region (by 12% to $4.551 or…

Kyrgyzstan: state debt down in March 2019

In March state debt of Kyrgyzstan amounted to $695.65 per capita. Over the month, the debt burden has decreased by $4.95. According to the Ministry of Finance, as of March 31, the total amount of state debt (external + internal) in Kyrgyzstan was $4,452.22 billion (310,986.13 billion soms), including $3,792.46 billion (264,901.53 billion soms) –…