Armenian and Russian prime ministers agree on subsidizing rise of
price of natural gas for Armenia
YEREVAN, June 1. / ARKA /. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and
his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev met in Minsk, Belarus, and
discussed Russia's possible involvement in subsidizing the sharp rise
of natural gas price, shipped to Armenia by Russian Gazprom, the
Armenian government said today.
Earlier Tigran Sargsyan said his government would subsidize 30% of the
price hike. He was followed by energy and natural resources minister
Armen Movsisyan who said the government was trying to get the Russian
side in the process of subsidizing the increased price of gas,
`because 80 percent in Armenia's national gas operator, ArmRosGazprom
(ARG) is owned by Russian Gazprom.'
The Armenian government said Sargsyan and Medvedev agreed in Minsk
that Russia's assistance will be in the form of a grant. It said the
talks to this end still continue.
On May 14, ArmRosGazprom asked the regulator to revise upward the
current tariff for Russian natural gas. It wants to raise the price
for consumers using up to 10 thousand cubic meters a month from
current 132,000 drams per one thousand cubic meters (including VAT) to
221,000 drams. Armenia's Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC)
said late last month that consumers using up to 10,000 cubic meters of
natural gas per month will be paying 156 thousand drams, including
VAT, for one thousand cubic meters, up form current 132,000 drams.
Corporate and other enterprises consuming 10,000 and more cubic meters
will be paying about $276.98. The new prices will come into force
from June 7 to 10.
The government press office said also the two prime ministers spoke in
Minsk about organization of an international conference that should
approve large-scale economic assistance to Armenia. Medvedev said
Russia was willing to help Yerevan in organization of the donor
conference. The EU first expressed readiness to organize such a forum
in late 2011.
Back in 2012 Russian newspaper `Nezavisimaya Gazeta" said citing its
sources in the Armenian that Yerevan was trying to persuade Moscow
to postpone for a while the increase in gas prices and provide it
with a $1 billion loan. According to the newspaper, rumors about the
talks between Armenian and Russian governments on a fresh loan
appeared at the end of May after it emerged that the EU wanted to
postpone the conduction of donor conference for Armenia. -0-
price of natural gas for Armenia
YEREVAN, June 1. / ARKA /. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and
his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev met in Minsk, Belarus, and
discussed Russia's possible involvement in subsidizing the sharp rise
of natural gas price, shipped to Armenia by Russian Gazprom, the
Armenian government said today.
Earlier Tigran Sargsyan said his government would subsidize 30% of the
price hike. He was followed by energy and natural resources minister
Armen Movsisyan who said the government was trying to get the Russian
side in the process of subsidizing the increased price of gas,
`because 80 percent in Armenia's national gas operator, ArmRosGazprom
(ARG) is owned by Russian Gazprom.'
The Armenian government said Sargsyan and Medvedev agreed in Minsk
that Russia's assistance will be in the form of a grant. It said the
talks to this end still continue.
On May 14, ArmRosGazprom asked the regulator to revise upward the
current tariff for Russian natural gas. It wants to raise the price
for consumers using up to 10 thousand cubic meters a month from
current 132,000 drams per one thousand cubic meters (including VAT) to
221,000 drams. Armenia's Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC)
said late last month that consumers using up to 10,000 cubic meters of
natural gas per month will be paying 156 thousand drams, including
VAT, for one thousand cubic meters, up form current 132,000 drams.
Corporate and other enterprises consuming 10,000 and more cubic meters
will be paying about $276.98. The new prices will come into force
from June 7 to 10.
The government press office said also the two prime ministers spoke in
Minsk about organization of an international conference that should
approve large-scale economic assistance to Armenia. Medvedev said
Russia was willing to help Yerevan in organization of the donor
conference. The EU first expressed readiness to organize such a forum
in late 2011.
Back in 2012 Russian newspaper `Nezavisimaya Gazeta" said citing its
sources in the Armenian that Yerevan was trying to persuade Moscow
to postpone for a while the increase in gas prices and provide it
with a $1 billion loan. According to the newspaper, rumors about the
talks between Armenian and Russian governments on a fresh loan
appeared at the end of May after it emerged that the EU wanted to
postpone the conduction of donor conference for Armenia. -0-