This study deals with Belarusian macroeconomic dynamics in 2013.

Belarus experienced rapid economic growth in the 2000's, which abruptly came to halt after 2008. The authors found that the major source of growth was capital accumulation, while growth in total factor productivity (TFP) was modest. Moreover, government interventions and controls on the capital market contributed to misallocation which lowered aggregate productivity. Lack of productivity growth led to the loss of competitiveness on the international markets. Comparisons of TFP in Belarus with the Czech Republic and Sweden shows that comparative advantages of Belarus are concentrated in the natural-resource based industries, and TFP gap with the Czech Republic is not closing over time.

This study analyzes the effects of directed lending upon total factor productivity and GDP growth in Belarus over the period of 2000–2012.

The study deals with a specific form of financial repression peculiar to Belarus – a mechanism of directed loans.

This policy paper contains the analysis of the problems of the foreign account deficit, external debt, money market imbalances, inflationary potential, fragile financial standing of domestic companies aggravated in Belarus by early 2011 and their impact on macroeconomic stability and long-term sustainable growth.