Belarus counts on level playing field in terms of gas prices in Belarus-Russia Union – Lukashenko

<p> MINSK, Aug 9 – PrimePress. Belarus counts on equalizing gas prices in the framework of the Belarus-Russia Union. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated that during the “Big Talk with the President” on August 9, the president’s press service informed. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In his words, Russia and Belarus have only one outstanding roadmap for integration to sign and it is about gas. </p> <p>   </p> <p> "We have 28 roadmaps ready and only one outstanding issue of natural gas, that's it. But since we are in a union and see the prospects, we have to equalize the prices and it is simple, make them free, as you say," Lukashenko said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> He said that Belarus wants “equal prices,” not lower prices. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Lukashenko reminded that the common economic space which Belarus and Russia are building presupposes equal conditions for all economic entities, market conditions. “We agree on market conditions, but the conditions should be equal. We agreed with the Russian President that we will overcome any barriers and level these conditions,” he said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Presidents of Russia and Belarus Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko agreed at their meeting held on July 13, 2021 in St. Petersburg to keep the price of Russian natural gas for Belarus in 2022 at the level of 2021. As previously reported, Gazprom and Gazprom Transgaz Belarus have contracts on gas supplies to Belarus and its transportation through the country until the end of 2021. In December 2020, Belarus and Russia agreed on the price of Russian natural gas in 2021 at $ 128.5 per 1,000 cubic meters. The gas price for Belarus was set at $127 per 1,000 cubic meters in 2020. Belarus annually imports about 20 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia. </p> <p>   </p> <p> According to the Russian Federal Customs Service, the average export price of Russian gas in June 2021 rose by 11.6% month on month to $226.5 per thousand cubic metres. </p> <p>   </p> <p> According to the analytical report "The Union State of Belarus and Russia: Outcomes for citizens and prospects" prepared by a joint working group of experts from Belarus and Russia under the auspices of the Gromyko Association for Foreign Policy Studies, the difference between Russian gas prices for Belarus and the average price of Russian gas in Europe over the past 10 years was $20bn. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, the governments of Belarus and Russia initialled a Union State integration program in September 2019 and approved 31 roadmaps in various areas. Draft roadmaps were expected to be coordinated by November 2020, and Lukashenko and Putin were supposed to approve the entire package of integration documents on December 8, 2019 during the events timed to the 20th anniversary of the Belarus-Russia Union Treaty of December 8, 1999. The signing of the package did not take place. Belarus said that the parties failed to reach accompanying agreements on Russian energy prices, compensation for Belarus’ losses resulted from the tax manoeuvre in the Russian oil industry, and removal of barriers to Belarusian commodities in the Russian market. Lukashenko said he would not endorse the roadmaps unless the above fundamental issues are finally resolved. End </p> <p>   </p> <p> On 22 April 2021, Lukashenko informed during a meeting with Putin in the Kremlin that there were only two or three union programmes of economic nature remaining for Belarus and Russia to reconcile. In his words, they plan to reach a formal agreement in spring 2021 at a session of the Supreme Council of the Union State. End </p>

2021-08-10

Primepress