GAS ODYSSEY IS COMING TO AN END
Lragir.am
27 March 06
Our sources state that the odyssey of the price of Russian gas
will have an unexpected end in the upcoming month. First we should
not forget that the rumors about the increase of the price of gas
began in December 2005. Victor Soghomonyan, the press secretary of
President Robert Kocharyan, said: “One thing is for sure, gas will
no longer cost 59 dollars.” Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan first
said that the government would try to relieve the consequences of
the new price for the population. And on March 22 the prime minister
did not know how high the price of gas would go up. On the same day
the minister of defense of Armenia Serge Sargsyan, starting from his
correspondence with Russian Gasprom, announced that there might be
an insignificant growth of the price of gas.
Of course, in the meantime, the Public Utilities Commission set a
record, discussing and accepting the bid of Armrusgasard in ten days,
and reconsidered the tariff of gas, bringing it up to the suggested
110 dollars per 1000 cubic meter.
Our sources say the price of gas may not go up at all. In this case,
however, Robert Nazaryan would appear in a curious situation. For he
cannot admit that the independent commission adopted a hasty decision
on an instruction from above. In accordance with the law, the tariffs
set by the Public Utilities Commission will work for six months. And
if our sources are right, Armrusgasard will look at Robert Nazaryan
with a kind eye for acquiring the legal right to get extremely high
profits for at least six months.