31 August, Gorodeya /Olga Belyavskaya - BELTA/. Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich believes it is possible to achieve a single balanced exchange rate for the Belarusian ruble within 1-2 months. He stated this to journalists today, responding to a question from a BELTA correspondent. According to the head of government, achieving a single balanced exchange rate for the Belarusian ruble will require, by optimistic estimates, one month, and with a degree of pessimism - two months. "We will bring closer the official exchange rate and the rate dictated at the additional session of the currency exchange," he noted. Mikhail Myasnikovich added that it will be necessary to carefully manage the foreign currency assets held by Belarusian enterprises. "Today, they have $2.8 billion in their deposits," the prime minister stated. "In addition, $3.5 billion is held in deposits by the population." According to Mikhail Myasnikovich, the population currently holds substantial amounts of foreign currency. "At an appropriate exchange rate, we are simply confident that the population will address reconversion issues - that is, converting foreign currency into Belarusian rubles," the prime minister is confident. "Our population is savvy; it will see when the profitability of exchange operations increases, and I think that the sale of foreign currency by the population will be activated." Mikhail Myasnikovich emphasized that the population is already selling foreign currency in sufficient volumes today - $150-210 million per month. "Practically the same amount is being purchased, with the exception of a small sum that banks direct towards repaying foreign credit lines previously drawn," the head of government explained.-0-

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