February 18, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. The resumption of issuing foreign currency loans to the public for housing construction would boost the development of the construction industry. This viewpoint was expressed to a BELTA correspondent by Vladimir Belous, Chairman of the Committee for Construction and Architecture of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee.
"The resumption of foreign currency lending to the public for housing construction is beneficial for the construction industry; it will give an impetus to its development. However, the demand for such loans will be greater in large cities, primarily in the capital. In district centers, the state has provided ample opportunities for obtaining preferential loans for housing construction in Belarusian rubles, so the public there is less interested in foreign currency lending," the interviewee believes.
In 2012, 402.5 thousand sq.m of housing were commissioned in the Vitebsk region. For citizens registered as needing to improve their housing conditions, 271.8 thousand sq.m of total area were commissioned, including 253.1 thousand sq.m using state support. In apartment buildings in cities, 235.3 thousand sq.m of total area were commissioned, of which 216.3 thousand sq.m were for citizens needing to improve their housing conditions.
In 2013, it is planned to build 600 thousand sq.m of housing in the region, including 240 thousand sq.m with state support.
As previously reported, the Belarusian government has spoken in favor of resuming foreign currency lending to individuals for housing construction. In mid-2009, the National Bank suspended the issuance of foreign currency loans to individuals by Belarusian banks, and at the end of 2010, it banned it definitively. The decision was justified by the high level of risk associated with foreign currency loans.-0-