Belarus plans budget deficit of 1.5% of GDP in 2026

MINSK. Nov 24 (Interfax) - Belarus is planning a 2026 republican budget deficit of 4.35 billion Belarusian rubles or $1.49 billion at the current rate and 1.5% of GDP, the Finance Ministry said.

The lower house of parliament passed the draft budget at its first reading in Monday.

Planned revenues are 54.38 billion rubles, which is 12.4% higher than the 2025 revenue estimate of 48.38 billion rubles. The main sources of tax revenue are value-added tax, excise taxes, and revenue from foreign economic activity.

Planned expenditure is 58.73 billion rubles, which is 10.4% higher than the 53.2 billion rubles anticipated for 2025.

The projected budget deficit is almost 10% lower than the current year's estimate of 4.82 billion rubles.

Approved 2025 revenue is 45.8 billion rubles, expenditure 50.3 billion rubles and the deficit 4.5 billion rubles.