2016: Relaxed political monopoly amid retained micromanagement

Most important trends in 2016:

– Political liberalisation continued after the elections, breaking political conventions

– Opposition’s attitudes evolved from non-compromising to constructive

– Conflicts built up in the nomenclature; the law enforcement enhanced involvement in the fight among nomenclature groups

– The Russo-Belarusian dispute evolved into a chronic crisis, with fewer economic benefits from cooperation with Russia

– Belarus’ relations with the West normalised

– The authorities revised ideology and media mechanisms

– Status quo in the economic policy retained with half-hearted and inconsistent decisions on economic reforms

– The national currency stabilised; loans became cheaper; amid corporate debt build-up, corporate lending and lending for housing construction reduced, and the quality of banks’ assets deteriorated

– Job cuts in the economy continued, tariffs for public services went up while the state preserved its share in the GDP