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RISE IN GAS PRICE IS AIMED AT ENSURING MONOPOLY SUPERPROFITS AT EXPENSE OF ROBBING POPULATION, ANC SAYS
Noyan Tapan
March 2, 2010
YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In connection with the rise in the
retail gas prices, the Armenian National Congress (ANC) issued a
statement on March 1, which reads:
"The unprecedented and unfounded rise in the gas prices on April 1 will
put the population in a difficult situation. It is obvious that the
gas tariff rise will lead to an increase in prices of many other goods
and services. This may become the last straw to bankrupt the population
and turn Armenia's economic decline into an inevitable collapse.
Based on the current facts and expert studies, the Armenian National
Congress states:
Taking into account the change in the exchange rate of Armenian dram,
over the past 5 years ArmRusgazprom supplying organization has received
gas at the same wholesale price of 60 thousand drams.
Therefore the several-fold rise in the retail price of gas during
this period is unfounded and aimed at ensuring monopoly superprofits
at the expense of robbing the population.
The real author of the gas price rise is not ArmRusgazprom, but the
Armenian government, which is one of the biggest shareholders of
ArmRusgazprom. The huge difference between the wholesale and retail
prices of gas (the retail price is twice as much) does not have any
economic and logical explanation, but it can be explained by robbery.
The differentiation between retail prices of gas supplied to the
population and big consumers (in favor of oligarchs) has neither
logical nor economic motivation, especially in a country with so many
socially vulnerable groups. The small increase (by about 10 drams)
in the wholesale price by Russia can be easily compensated for.
The mechanisms of regulating the public services are presented in
detail in the ANC's program "100 Steps". In the given case it is
necessary to check the expenses of ArmRusgazprom, in particular the
salaries of the company's top executives, the real percentage of its
losses, the purchases, and management of financial resources.
The gas price should not rise.
The Armenian National Congress will file a lawsuit to court in order
to dispute the illegal economic and juridical grounds for taking
this decision. Besides, a petition will be presented for suspending
the execution of decision on the gas price rise until the court
finishes examining the lawsuit. We will succeed if thousands of
citizens whose rights are ignored and infringed by this decision
become co-plaintiffs. So we call on everybody to join our initiative".
Noyan Tapan
March 2, 2010
YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In connection with the rise in the
retail gas prices, the Armenian National Congress (ANC) issued a
statement on March 1, which reads:
"The unprecedented and unfounded rise in the gas prices on April 1 will
put the population in a difficult situation. It is obvious that the
gas tariff rise will lead to an increase in prices of many other goods
and services. This may become the last straw to bankrupt the population
and turn Armenia's economic decline into an inevitable collapse.
Based on the current facts and expert studies, the Armenian National
Congress states:
Taking into account the change in the exchange rate of Armenian dram,
over the past 5 years ArmRusgazprom supplying organization has received
gas at the same wholesale price of 60 thousand drams.
Therefore the several-fold rise in the retail price of gas during
this period is unfounded and aimed at ensuring monopoly superprofits
at the expense of robbing the population.
The real author of the gas price rise is not ArmRusgazprom, but the
Armenian government, which is one of the biggest shareholders of
ArmRusgazprom. The huge difference between the wholesale and retail
prices of gas (the retail price is twice as much) does not have any
economic and logical explanation, but it can be explained by robbery.
The differentiation between retail prices of gas supplied to the
population and big consumers (in favor of oligarchs) has neither
logical nor economic motivation, especially in a country with so many
socially vulnerable groups. The small increase (by about 10 drams)
in the wholesale price by Russia can be easily compensated for.
The mechanisms of regulating the public services are presented in
detail in the ANC's program "100 Steps". In the given case it is
necessary to check the expenses of ArmRusgazprom, in particular the
salaries of the company's top executives, the real percentage of its
losses, the purchases, and management of financial resources.
The gas price should not rise.
The Armenian National Congress will file a lawsuit to court in order
to dispute the illegal economic and juridical grounds for taking
this decision. Besides, a petition will be presented for suspending
the execution of decision on the gas price rise until the court
finishes examining the lawsuit. We will succeed if thousands of
citizens whose rights are ignored and infringed by this decision
become co-plaintiffs. So we call on everybody to join our initiative".