BELARUSIAN BANKERS PROTEST GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE

. Governmentattempts to restrict the activities of the country’s banks willonly exacerbate Belarus’ year-old banking crisis, Yevhen Kupchin,chairman of the country’s Association of Commercial Banks, toldFIA-Interfax July 11. The banks have been losing money–$12 millionin May alone–and now face government fines intended to limittheir operations, Kupchin said. His comments came as Belarus soughtto portray itself as having met the standards for another $300million loan from the IMF.

Chernobyl Stress Seen Leading to Crime in Belarus