Report: Minsk repays $200 mln gas debt to Russia from credit line

MINSK, Dec 16 (PRIME) -- Belarus has redeemed a U.S. $200 million debt to Russia for natural gas from the money provided under a credit line of the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development, President Alexander Lukashenko told channel All-National Television late on Tuesday.

"They… gave me a loan of $500 million. I thought I must strengthen the economy and there would be a good economy and therefore healthcare,” Lukashenko said.

“I thought I would invest $500 million in the economy and we would produce over a 100% of the gross domestic product this year. No country has reached this level. But the second wave (of the COVID-19) started and I paid $200 million for gas so you would be warm this winter and paid $300 to the doctors for the COVID."

According to earlier statements of Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak, Moscow expected Minsk to pay about $330 million for gas from the loan.

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