BUSINESS

IN BRIEF

Belarus’ Nuclear Vision

MINSK (Reuters) — Belarus plans to build a nuclear power plant to reduce its dependence on energy imports, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko said Friday.

“The development of our own nuclear energy as a way to ensure Belarus’ national security has no alternative,” he said during a government session.

Lukashenko said the nuclear plant would come on line in 2015.

Cigarette Price Rise

n MOSCOW (SPT) — The price of a pack of cigarettes is set to rise by 50 kopeks to 15 rubles ($0.40) Jan. 1 when the Finance Ministry raises the excise tax on tobacco products by 30 percent, Komsomolskaya Pravda reported Saturday.

Data from the State Statistics Committee showed that the price of cigarettes had increased by 5.8 percent each year for the last six years — about half the rate of inflation, the newspaper reported.

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