On November 18, Minsk / Olga Belyavskaya - BELTA /. Belarus will tighten measures to restrict the export of fuel, Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Miasnikovich announced today at a meeting with the staff of OJSC "MAZ", BELTA correspondent reports. "However unpopular this may be, I signed a resolution yesterday to travel abroad not once every five days, but once every eight days, with the exception of those who are on a business trip, perform their functional duties or work under an employment contract," Mikhail Miasnikovich explained. These measures are necessary to limit the export of petroleum products from the country, he stressed. The resolution has not yet been published; mechanisms for its introduction are currently being worked out, the prime minister clarified. The head of government recalled that due to price disparity, international road carriers have actively begun to export diesel fuel from Belarus to other countries for resale. "The price of fuel here differs by about $1.5 per liter compared to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia," he recalled. "When the tank capacity is one ton or even more, the carrier earns about $1.5 thousand." Due to the situation, diesel fuel sales in Belarus have sharply increased. "As a result, our oil refineries have a negative balance because they cannot earn the necessary amount of rubles to convert them and buy new batches of oil," the head of government stated. He also noted that car drivers are also involved in reselling fuel. "Many have turned this into a profitable business, but it causes damage to the economy and must be stopped," Mikhail Miasnikovich summarized. -0-

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