In 2008 gas price for Belarus is likely to grow up to USD 160-200 :: Charter'97 :: News

In September the negotiations on the gas price for Belarus in 2008 will be resumed. The price hike may appear considerable.

As it is known now Belarus is buying gas for USD 100 per one thousand cubic meters. The first deputy prime minister Uladzimir Syamashka said that each year the price was to grow by USD 11 and in 2011 it will comprise USD 144.

However according to the agreements signed on the New Year Eve in 2008 the gas price for Belarus is to comprise 67% of the gas price at the European market after deducting the transport expenses, in 2009-80% , in 2011-100%, the ”Zavtara Tvoyey Strany” (Tomorrow of Your Country)newspaper writes .

If the price is calculated according to the above-mentioned formula, then the gas will cost our country more than this year.”Now Gazprom is selling gas at approximately USD 280 per one thousand cubic meters and the transport expenses account for about one third, the Sobinbank’s analyst Aleksandr Razuvaev declared to the Kommersant. In compliance with my calculations the gas price for Belarus is to be established around USD 200 per one thousand cubic meters”.

However these are only forecasts, by the way, without taking into consideration the political component of the issue.”The factual price is to be set up only in January 2008 as the data for April-December is to be taken into account”, the deputy head of the information policy department of the Gazprom Sergei Kuprianov specified.

It is to be mentioned that the Russian concern declared its intention to raise the price up to USD 200 per one thousand cubic meters already in autumn 2006. Nevertheless, in the course of lengthy talks the Gazprom twice decreased its ambitions. The USD 200 is now supposed to be a starting price for bargaining which is to begin in autumn. According to the Kommersant, in September Belarus and Ukraine are to resume the negotiations with the Gazprom on gas prices in 2008.