Official representative of Gazprom, Sergei Kupriyanov, stated that the issue of gas price reducing for Belarus would be solved at the state level. As an example, the spokesman of Russian gas monopoly led the recent agreement on gas discounts for Ukraine, reached by presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Viktor Yanukovych.
«The situations can be different and agreements can different. But in any case, if we look at, for example, Ukraine, then the decline in prices, obtained by our Ukrainian consumers, is a fully state decision, which is financed from the state budget», Sergei Kupriyanov said in an interview to Echo of Moscow.
As for Belarus, then the decision on gas discounts is still pending at the state level, Gazprom representative stressed. «The contract, whatever we hoped, whatever our Belarusian friends would expect from agreements, we believe that as long as they do not exist, the contract must be executed», Russian company spokesman said.
However, Sergei Kupriyanov did not rule out that a positive solution for Belarus on «gas» question would be made anyway. «It will depend on how negotiations (of the presidents of Belarus and Russia — Telegraf) to be hold», Gazprom representative said.
The average gas price for Belarus in 2010 will be 187 dollars, Kupriyanov
The spokesman of Russian gas monopoly reminded that Belarus was violating the contract by paying for gas at last year’s price of 150 dollars per thousand cubic meters, although in the first quarter of 2010 it had to pay 169 dollars that had already led to the arrears’ emergence amounting to about 200 million dollars.
According to Sergei Kupriyanov, in the second quarter of this year gas price for Belarus will amount to 184.8 dollars per thousand cubic meters, while the average price will increase up to about 187 dollars, what will depend on changes in prices of oil and petroleum products in Europe.
«It means that if nothing changes and Beltransgaz continues to pay at itself set price of 150 dollars, then the debt will be accumulated from month to month and at the end of the year it will be equal to more than half a billion dollars», Gazprom official representative summed up.
