Gref: “Situation with disruption of oil transit through Belarus won’t repeat” :: Charter'97 :: News

Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref is convinced that the situation with Russian oil transit disruption won’t repeat even in case Belarus increase tariffs for oil and gas transit. G. Gref told to journalists: “I am convinced that we won’t repeat the situation of the beginning of the year”.

Meanwhile, as said by him, Russia hasn’t received an official decision of Belarus on increasing tariffs for oil transit via Belarus, only an informal copy had been received, ITAR-TASS informs.

“We should make corrections in our calculations, and embark on negotiations,” the minister said, adding that the Russian side is making evaluations and preparing proposals. “We cannot avoid this procedure,” G. Gref noted.

He also reminded that Belarus could raise its transit rates for oil only with Russia`s agreement, under the Belarusian-Russian agreement. “But I do not think it is a tragedy,” he added, saying that Belarus didn’t hike oil transit rates in recent years.