Russia increased gas price for Belarus up to $250

• 2.10.2008, 10:38

Alexander Surikov, an Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Russia to Belarus does not exclude that the price of the Russian gas for Belarus in 2009 could reach about $250 per thousand cubic metres.

“If we estimate it in the rough according to the formula, gas price for Belarus would be about $250 per 1 thousand cubic metres,” A. Surikov said to the agency Interfax-Zapad in Minsk.

He reminded that according to the contract, gas price for Belarus in 2—9 will make 80% of the price of gas delivered to Poland minus export dues of 30%; and the difference between gas transit cost to Poland and gas transit to Belarus is considered. “It is hard to say right now what gas price for Belarus will be in 2009,” the Ambassador underlined. Besides, commenting on the gas price on which the Belarusian budget for 2009 is based ($140 per 1 thousand cubic metres, A. Surikov noted that “it is the right of any state to have a price at which the expenditure budget should be based, and it means that some resources for stabilization would be found”.

As informed earlier, since April 1 2008 Belarus pays $129 per 1 thousand cubic metres of Russian gas as compared to $119 per 1 thousand cubic metres since January 1, 2008. Deliveries of Russian gas to Belarus in 2008 will make 21.2 billion cubic metres, in 2009 the Belarusian side asks 21.6 billion cubic metres of gas.