Belarus's "Normal 80" petrol has gone up in price by 77.8% since the beginning of the year. One liter cost Br4.000 on June 9 against Br2.250 on January 1. Diesel fuel has increased in price significantly as well — by 72.5%. According to Telegraf correspondent, if diesel fuel could be bought at Br2.580 per liter at the beginning of the year, now it costs Br4.450.
These fuels have got more expensive against the dollar exchange rate which, according to the National Bank, amounted to Br3.000 on January 1 and Br4.956 on June 9. So, diesel fuel was previously equal to 86 cents per liter, now — 89.8 cents. The same applies to «Normal-80» petrol, which was worth 75 cents on January 1, while 80.7 cents on June 9. That is, diesel fuel has risen in price by 4.4%, Ai-80 — by 7.6% against the dollar rate.
AI-92 petrol of «people’s» brand has gone up by 46.3% (from Br2.870 to Br4.200), Ai-95 — by 38.9% (from Br3.240 to Br4.500). The following petrol brands have fallen in price against the dollar rate: Au-92 — now 84.7 cents (earlier 95.7), Ai-95 — 90.8 cents (108 cents). As a result, A-92 has declined in the dollar equivalent by 11.4%, Au 95 — by 15.9%.
If President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko hadn’t ordered to reduce fuel prices on June 8, the cost of a liter of diesel fuel would have increased by 97.7% against the beginning of the year, «Normal 80» — by 120%, Au 92 — by 77.7 %, Au-95 — by 79%. In dollar terms diesel fuel would have been more expensive by 19.6%, 80th gasoline — by 33.2%, 92nd — by 7.6%, 95th — by 8.3%.
As Telegraf previously reported, June 7, Belneftekhim raised fuel retail prices. The cost of diesel fuel was Br5.100 per liter, A92 gasoline — Br5.100 per liter, A95 — Br5.800 per liter, A80 — Br4.950 per liter. The average price of petroleum products, sold at gas stations, increased by 31%.
In response, there was a large-scale protest of motorists in Minsk on May 8, attended by about 1.6 thousand people.
Morning, June 9, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko ordered to reduce the the price of car fuel. «Let’s come to an agreement: the fuel price won’t be Br5.2-5.1 thousand tomorrow morning, but Br4.5 thousand maximum,» he said.
Despite this, motorists will still incur losses compared to June 6, as higher prices made up 3-14%. Diesel fuel, which price rose by 14.1% from Br3.900 to Br4.450 per liter, has become the most expensive.