Belarus paid for gas 1 day ahead of schedule :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus made a complete settlement for the Russian gas delivered in July, the Belatransgaz representative reported through the ITAR-TASS. As stipulated by the contract concluded by the Beltransgaz and Gazprom the gas price for Belarus is to be USD 100 for one thousand cubic meters, i.e. two times last year price.

However, in the first half year Minsk was allowed to pay 55% of the delivered gas price on condition of repaying the outstanding amount by 23 July and starting paying the full amount since 1 July. The outstanding amount for the January- June period comprised USD 456.16 million. But the above-mentioned sum was not credited to the Gazprom account in due time, the NEWSru.com. mentions.

1 August the Gazprom sent the official notice on the gas deliveries reduction. The reduction was foreseen by 45 % since 3 August. For several days the members of the council of ministers of Belarus kept on going to Moscow to participate in negotiations which gave no results. Then Alyaksandr Lukashenka responded to the situation.

He ordered to take the reserved USD 460 million and transfer the money to the Gazprom. ”For the country this sum means nothing, said the Belarusian leader as emotionally as he used to. Let them take it and live in peace”. Since 3 August Belarus had started to repay the debt and 8 August the debt was repaid completely. The first deputy prime minister of the Belarusian government Uladzimir Syamashka promised that after the debt repayment Belarus would provide 100% payment since 1 August. “We shall pay 100% cost of the delivered gas since August. As stipulated by the contract with the Gazprom, 23 August is the payment deadline for the gas consumed by us in July. That is around USD 150 million”, Syamashka said. Belarus kept its promise and transferred the money for July’s gas even 1 day ahead of schedule.