Ukraine: external debt totals 83% of GDP

Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said that Ukraine’s external debt totals 83% of the country’s GDP. At the same time, he reminded that in 2014, when Arseniy Yatsenyuk became the prime minister, the state budget amounted to UAH 108,000, as the previous regime brought huge damage to the country. “Then there was the annexation of…

Turkmenistan: wages up in 2018

Wages, pensions, state allowances and scholarships have been increased by 10% in Turkmenistan since January 1. The relevant decree of the Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was signed last July. The decree provides for an increase of 10% starting from the New Year on salary received by employees of enterprises of self-financing institutions and organizations financed…

Estonia: consumer prices up in 2017

Consumer prices increased by an average 3.4% in 2017 compared to 2016. They were influenced the most by food products and non-alcoholic beverages, which made up two fifths of the increase, Statistics Estonia reported on January 8. The price of milk, dairy products, and eggs increased by 10.4% YoY, accounting for the single indicator that…

Ukraine: poverty rate decreases

The poverty rate in Ukraine decreased to 12% in 2017, according to the results of the study conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. “And this is one of the few but important achievements of Ukraine over the years. In 2008, after the beginning of the world crisis, the poverty rate increased to 21%,…

Belarus: gold and forex reserves at $7.3 billion

According to the preliminary data, Belarus’ gold and foreign currency reserves totaled $7,315 million as of January 1, if calculated in accordance with methods of the International Monetary Fund, the Information and PR Department of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus reported. In December 2017, the country’s gold and foreign currency reserves went…