Tariffs on oil transit have to be agreed with Russia :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus may raise the oil transit rate only after concluding a bilateral agreement with Russia, Herman Greff, head of the ministry for economic development of the Russian Federation, told the journalists on Tuesday in Moscow. ”That is possible only by concluding a bilateral agreement”, he reported while commenting on the Belarus’ declaration on the envisaged Russian oil transit tariffs raise.

The minister declared that at present ”we are exploring the rates, Transneft is making calculations”. ”If these rates match the frame of the tariffs indexation than it will do”, he added.
“If we are timely notified, if bilateral negotiations are held “, than the changes will be possible, Herman Greff considers.

“ Now it is still impossible to speak about Russia’s countermeasures”, he concluded according to Interfax.

Late on 5 February the ministry of economy of Belarus placed the information on its resolution #26 of 31 January “On tariffs for transit transportation of oil through the pipelines on the territory of the Republic Belarus” was placed at its site.

“Taking into account a lengthy validity term of the previous tariffs for oil transit through Belarus and a considerable increase of the transit cost within the elapsed period (primarily, due to the power sources cost increase) Gomeltransneft ”Druzhba” enterprise and “Belneftehim” concern have forwarded their proposition on changing the tariffs for transit transportation of oil through the pipelines on the territory of the Republic Belarus”, it is stressed in the message of the ministry of economy.

“In compliance with the effective legislation“ the ministry of economy adopted its resolution #26 on new tariffs for transit transportation of oil through the pipelines on the territory of the Republic Belarus, which are to become effective since 15 February.

On the Unecha-Mozir-Adamava route to Germany and Poland the tariff per 1 ton of oil is to be increased from USD 2.6 to 3.5(by 34.6%), on the Unecha-Mozir-Brodi route to Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Ukraine-from USD 1.14 to 1.5 (by 31.6%).

The ministry of economy stresses that the tariffs are accepted “ at the basis of USD 0.6 per ton over 100 km, the average weighted tariff for oil transportation through the territory of the Russian Federation along the “Transneft” pipeline system.

“It is to me mentioned, the message says, that present oil transit tariffs in neighboring states are higher than the tariffs in the Republic of Belarus. Thus, in Poland the tariff for oil transit in Germany direction is USD 0.9 and in the Republic of Belarus in the same direction it is USD 0.41 per 100 t /km. In Ukraine the tariff for oil transit in Hungary and Slovakia direction is USD 0,9 and in the Republic of Belarus in the same direction it is USD 0.53 per 100t /km. The tariff for Kazakh oil transit through the territory of Russia is USD 0.73 per 100t /km.