According to Belarusian state-run CTV host Alena Syrova, the IMF's October forecast for GDP growth in Belarus is expected to be more optimistic than earlier projections. When comparing the expected figures for Belarus with those of other countries during the STV broadcast on October 27, 2024, presenter Alena Syrova misrepresented the data.
Syrova stated, “According to the IMF, the authoritative organization, Belarus’s GDP will grow by 3.6% this year. This is more than what was anticipated. Let’s not gloat, but for comparison, progressive Poland will grow by a modest 0.2%. Germany has a similar figure but with a negative sign.”
However, the IMF's October report clearly projected Germany's GDP growth at 0% and Poland's GDP growth at 3%.
The figures referenced by Syrova suggest she mistakenly compared Belarus's projected economic growth for 2024 with the actual GDP figures from other countries for the prior year.
While Belarus's GDP growth forecast for the current year is the highest among neighboring countries, excluding Russia, it's crucial to highlight that over the last decade, Belarus's GDP has increased by less than 1.5%. In comparison, Poland's GDP has grown by 40%, while Lithuania and Latvia have experienced growth of 29% and 21%, respectively.