Gazprom Concerned That Belarusian Regime Would Bankrupt Beltransgaz :: Charter'97 :: News

Gazprom is concerned over the plans of the Belarusian regime to abolish $18 extra charge per 1,000 cubic metres of gas reselled by Belarusian gas transportation enterprise “Beltrasngaz” to “Beloptgaz” for further selling to local consumers.

“Now Belarus wants to hush this theme”, that is to abolish the extra charge, told the deputy chairman of the Russian concern’s board Valery Golubev at a round table discussion in Gazprom. As said by him, “Beltransgaz” could become loss-making if this extra charge would be abolished. Besides, Golubev has told that “Gazprom” insists on formalising the extra charge by Belarusian president’s decree.

As stated before, in the end of December 2006 Belarusian government and “Gazprom” agreed upon conditions of purchase of 50% of Beltransgaz shares by the Russian side within 2007-2010 proceeding from the market cost of the Belarusian gas transportation company evaluated at $5 billion. Before the end of the first half of 2007 “Gazprom” is to buy 12.5% of “Beltransgaz” shares at a price of $625 million. Part of the money is to be received by the Belarusian budget. The Russian side is to take possession of property only after buying 50% of “Beltrasngaz” shares.

In 2006 “Beltransgaz” is to increase net profit of all kinds of activities at 9% as compared to the year 2005, to 56.2 billion Belarusian rubles. In 2007 joint stock company plans to ensure a profit of 80 billion Belarusian rubles, which corresponds to the level of the last year, Interfax-Ukraine informs.