“Gasprom” Requires Cash Payment from Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus’ exterior indebtedness for energy resources constituted on January 1 $226mln. Belarusian consumers’ interior debt before the country’s energy complex amounted to some $512mln. The year 2002 saw an improvement of situation with energy payment inside the country, said the Minister of energy of Belarus Vladimir Semashko. Domestic consumers paid 97,8% of their bill to the “Belenergo” concern, which exceeds last year’s parameters by 13%. In all their payments the percentage of real money transactions has been on the rise.

However, there also altered the situation at the exterior market. Conditions of contracts with the foreign suppliers in the year 2003 are significantly harsher than in 2002. Both “Gasprom” and “Itera” will no longer tolerate monthly delays in gas payments. Moreover, “Itera” requires 30% advance payments. According to the contract provisions with “Gasprom”, all payments with the gas giant have to be carried out in money alone starting from February.