Armenia Paid With Its Energetic Independence For The Russian Gas

ARMENIA PAID WITH ITS ENERGETIC INDEPENDENCE FOR THE RUSSIAN GAS

Yerevan, April 8. ArmInfo. The last deal with Gazprom was a serious
blow to the economical independence of Armenia, said in an interview
to ArmInfo Edward Agadjanov, independent economist.

To his opinion, handing all the energetic factors to Russia was a
serous mistake by the Armenian authorities. The expert said that
Armenia has lost its blocking share holdings by increasing Gazprom’s
share in ArmRosgazprom. Mr. Agadjanov said that Armenia could receive
aid from foreign donors for reducing the consequences of raise gas
prices if those objects were not given to Russia.

To Agadjanov’s opinion Russia did not succeed in preventing Iran from
entering the European market by blocking the way through Armenia. He
said that Iran still can enter Europe via Azerbaijan. Nevertheless
he admitted that Iran depends on Russia in sense of transporting
its recourses.

The matter is that the 5-th bloc of the Hrazdan HPP was sold to Russian
Gazprom for $248,8 million. The first part of the Iran-Armenia pipeline
is also to be handed to the Russian side by the agreement. This deal
aims recompensing the raise in gas prices for Armenian consumers.