Damage from protests in Belarus already stands at $500 mln – presidential aide

Financial aide to the Belarusian president Valery Belsky has estimated the damage caused by the protests in the country at $500 million.

"The damage caused by the protests is not the 500,000 Belarusian rubles that have been spent on fixing flowerbeds and lawns. This damage already amounts to at least $500 million, while extended damage stands in the billions. The foundations of the foreign loan system that took years to form have been disrupted, the country's investment appeal has suffered, and sanctions are being discussed," Belsky, who has a doctorate in economics, said in an article published on the website of the Belarusian state-run news agency BelTA.