The second IMF mission tasked with assessing the implementation of the stand-by programme granted to Belarus early this year completed its work on 2 September. Despite numerous reservations, the IMF experts have expressed a generally positive assessment of the measures undertaken by the Belarusian authorities, on the basis of which another tranche of the loan is to be paid out shortly. Moreover, it is possible that next year the Fund will extend the programme's duration. The IMF has thus become the main source of credit support for Belarus and the main guarantor of the stability of the country's finance system. Even though the Belarusian authorities have already implemented some provisional measures recommended by the Fund, and have committed themselves to implementing more thorough changes by the end of the year, it should not be expected that the commitments will be realised in full, because of the regime's aversion to thorough reforms. Besides, even with the conditions imposed on Belarus, the IMF's position towards Minsk is relatively mild, possibly because of the geopolitical interests of some of the IMF member states.
