In April alone the economy expanded by a record 44.8 percent, compared with a 16.6 percent contraction a year ago, the National Statistics office said.

The move comes as Minsk faces further isolation by the European Union after the incident involving a routine flyover of its airspace.

Disputes over water use increased after the collapse of the Soviet Union as countries of the region failed to create an efficient regional approach to replace Soviet-era systems of water management.