Does regime plan to settle accounts with Gazprom by property?

Sources in Russian Gazprom have stated that talks with the official Minsk on gas price in 2008 are proceeding “steadily”. The Belarusian side offers the Russian concern to participate in investment projects in Belarus.

Another round of talks in Moscow has been held by a deputy Energy Minister of Belarus Rima Filimonava. In the conversation with Radio Svaboda correspondent she told that “a business trip had a confidential character”. But have they managed to agree on something?

As said by Mrs. Filimonava, “the procedure of talks is underway. It was just a new stage to assess, to find one's bearings, to make calculations. The preliminary agreement was reached last year, when we concluded a contract until 2011,” a representative of Energy Ministry said.

The first deputy of Energy Minister Eduard Tovpenets says that positions are being cleared. “There is a contract, a formula is being outlined, according to which the cost is to be calculated. But the parameters of this cost are to be specified, as they have many parts which need documentary proof,” the official said.

According to the information of Gazprom press-service, the positive result and changed situation are confirmed by the fact that the sides are discussing not only the price, but the whole matter has been practically solved, only documents are to be prepared. And the Belarusian side has offered Gazprom participation in investment projects on the territory of Belarus in the spheres of electrical energy industry and fertilizers industry. These are decisions of another level. It shows the stability of the talks on the price”.

As we have informed, according to the agreement, gas price is to be equal to about 67% of average European price minus transportation costs.

Economist Tatsyana Manyonak believes that proceeding from gas price for Poland is logical, as it is a comparable market.

“128 dollars is a price on which the budget for the next year has been based according to my knowledge. Belarusian officials haven’t denied that a price rise of about 15-20% is expected. They will bargain and offer some conditions to get this price, as our economy is based on it,” the expert said.

The head of the analytical center “Strategia” Leanid Zaika do not exclude that a combined bargain is possible, where a state property could be mentioned.

“In this case we, Belarusian citizens, have a right to know what exactly they will take from us and sell. And what is better? Maybe it’s better to pay for gas than to give your enterprises’ property? In this case the regime should be honest and open,” Zaika believes.

The economist is convinced that Belarus should proceed to normal European gas tariffs as soon as possible.

“Cheap gas is an addiction for economy. It’s a philosophy of the 1990ies, a philosophy of mediocrities. If a weak government does not have its investment programs, does not know how to solve the situation, than they start to put for sale a part of their property and wait prices to go down,” Leanid Zaika said.