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EX-GOVERNOR OF CENTRAL BANK COMPLAINS OF VERY HIGH GAS PRICE
/ARKA/
February 18, 2011
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, February 18, /ARKA/. Former governor of Armenia's Central Bank
complained today of extremely high price paid by Armenian households
and industries for Russian natural gas. Speaking at a news conference
Bagrat Asatrian said although Russian Gazprom sells gas to Armenia
at a price lower than to Europe Armenian households and industries
pay for it as much as consumers in Europe.
Gazprom raised the cost of gas for Armenia by 14 percent in 2009 and
by another 17 percent in 2010 April to $180 per thousand cubic meters.
Following it the Armenian Pubic Services Regulatory Commission
(PSRC) approved a 37.5 percent surge in the gas price for households
requested by the national gas distribution company, ArmRosGazprom
(ARG) in which Gazprom owns more than 80 percent.
Last September Gazprom said it would gradually bring its gas tariffs
for Armenia, Moldova and Belarus up to "market-based" international
levels in the coming years. Gazprom currently sells gas to western
and central European countries for over $300 per thousand cubic meters.
According to Russian news agencies, Gazprom would like to raise the
tariff for Armenia to about $200 per thousand cubic meters this year.
Armenian authorities say they are negotiating with Gazprom monopoly
seeking to prevent a further rise in the price of natural gas imported
by Armenia.
Energy and natural resources minister Armen Movsisian said last week
he received a "strict instruction" from president Serzh Sarkisian to
do his best to prevent another gas price rise. According to official
figures, cas consumption in the country has fallen considerably in
the last two years.
From: A. Papazian
/ARKA/
February 18, 2011
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, February 18, /ARKA/. Former governor of Armenia's Central Bank
complained today of extremely high price paid by Armenian households
and industries for Russian natural gas. Speaking at a news conference
Bagrat Asatrian said although Russian Gazprom sells gas to Armenia
at a price lower than to Europe Armenian households and industries
pay for it as much as consumers in Europe.
Gazprom raised the cost of gas for Armenia by 14 percent in 2009 and
by another 17 percent in 2010 April to $180 per thousand cubic meters.
Following it the Armenian Pubic Services Regulatory Commission
(PSRC) approved a 37.5 percent surge in the gas price for households
requested by the national gas distribution company, ArmRosGazprom
(ARG) in which Gazprom owns more than 80 percent.
Last September Gazprom said it would gradually bring its gas tariffs
for Armenia, Moldova and Belarus up to "market-based" international
levels in the coming years. Gazprom currently sells gas to western
and central European countries for over $300 per thousand cubic meters.
According to Russian news agencies, Gazprom would like to raise the
tariff for Armenia to about $200 per thousand cubic meters this year.
Armenian authorities say they are negotiating with Gazprom monopoly
seeking to prevent a further rise in the price of natural gas imported
by Armenia.
Energy and natural resources minister Armen Movsisian said last week
he received a "strict instruction" from president Serzh Sarkisian to
do his best to prevent another gas price rise. According to official
figures, cas consumption in the country has fallen considerably in
the last two years.
From: A. Papazian