Double-Digit Inflation Pushes Belarus to Scrap 50-Ruble Note

By The Moscow Times

Sep. 22, 2014

The 50-ruble Belarussian banknotes will no longer be printed from Jan. 1, 2015 Flagpedia.net

The Belarussian Central Bank said Monday it will remove all 50-ruble notes from circulation by next year, as double-digit inflation in the authoritarian Eastern European country devalues the currency.

The banknotes will no longer be printed from Jan. 1, 2015, because of "the inexpediency of the further use of this banknote in cash transactions," the regulator said in a statement.

Fifty Belarussian rubles are currently worth about 0.4 cents, or approximately 18 kopecks.

The inflation rate in Belarus is one of the highest of any former Soviet Union countries. Consumer prices rose 17.9 percent in the first eight months of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013, according to figures published by the Belarussian National Statistics Committee last week.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue