Yermakova: Currency fee may be abolished before February 1

The 30% fee on the purchase of foreign currency might be abolished in Belarus before 1 February, Chairperson of the Board of the National Bank of Belarus Nadezhda Yermakova told reporters on 26 December, BelTA has learned.

The fee on the purchase of foreign currency was supposed to remain in place until 1 February. “However, depending on the situation this fee might be scrapped earlier. Maybe, it will be abolished step by step,” Nadezhda Yermakova said. 

According to her, the analysis of the situation suggests that the fee will not be in effect after 1 February in any case. “The situation suggests that the fee will not be needed after 1 February,” she noted. 

Nadzeya Yermakova emphasized that the fee was introduced in the time when it can cause the least losses for businesses. There are a lot of red-letter days at the end of December-the start of January when trade relations are not as vibrant. Companies will not need to buy foreign currency on the currency exchange; therefore, they will not have to pay the 30% fee.

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