Belarus Asks IMF for Rescue Loan of Up to $8 Billion

     Belarus is requesting a new economic rescue loan from the International Monetary¹ Fund (IMF) to help it cope with a deepening financial crisis.

    Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich said Wednesday the government has asked for an IMF loan between $3.5 billion and $8 billion for the next three to five years.

    Belarus last received an IMF loan of $3.5 billion for 2009 and 2010, when the global financial crisis was hurting its Soviet²-style economy. Since then, the country's economic situation has worsened, with rising inflation and panic buying of consumer goods.

    President Alexander Lukashenko's government has taken several steps to deal with the crisis in recent days.  It froze prices of some basic foods Tuesday, saying the controls would remain in place until July 1.

    Minsk also devalued the Belarusian ruble by more than a third last week.  Many Belarusians have since been lining³ up at currency exchange offices, hoping to protect their savings⁴ by converting their rubles into euros or dollars.

    It is not clear what conditions the IMF may impose on any new loans to Belarus.  Some analysts⁵ say Lukashenko is running out of options to keep the economy afloat.

    Belarus has asked its traditional ally Russia for a direct loan, but Moscow has resisted, saying it may agree to fund a joint⁶ bailout package with other former Soviet republics by the end of this week.

    Moscow has said that in return for any bailout, Minsk must sell off key state assets, a move that could enable Russian companies to take over large parts of the Belarusian economy.  Lukashenko has expressed reluctance⁷ to sell his country's most important enterprises at the prices suggested by Russia.

    The crisis is one of the most serious Lukashenko has faced in his nearly 17-year rule.  His government also is under sanctions from the European Union and the United States, which have criticized him for cracking down on the opposition⁸ after his disputed re-election last December.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

2 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

3 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

4 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

5 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。