Hrant Bagratyan reveals two lies about gas tariff and offers Armenian
authorities not to interfere in price formation

11:01 – 07.04.13

Armenian National Congress MP, former PM Hrant Bagratyan made a
Facebook post referring to the gas tariff and revealing that the
statements as if Armenia is being supplied gas with the lowest price
in the region are false. Moreover, the country receives gas with
higher price than Europe.

Bagratyan wrote that the authorities are working two convey few
messages to the people through media. The first he said is that the
gas tariff is going up but for the sake of Serzh Sargsyan, being very
respected person, the prices will go up but not as much as it was
expected. `Such things may be stated permanently as no one knows how
much the prices were going to be raised,’ Bagratyna wrote.

Bagratyan wrote that a number of Russian officials stated in Yerevan
that Armenia receives gas at lowest price in the region. `It is an
absolute lie, as Russia supplies gas to Georgia and Armenia and by the
way in Tbilisi Georgian pays 110,000 drams for 1 cubic meter of gas
while a Yerevan resident 132,000,’ Bagratyan wrote. As to the
statements that Yerevan receives gas cheaper than the prices existing
in the world, it is a lie too, Bagratyan wrote, saying that the $180
Armenia used to pay was a wholesale price. `It is the price Russian
Gazprom was selling gas to other Russian company Armrusgasprom and the
latter was adding $150 on it and selling it on Armenians. If to take
into consideration gas quality and our standards the Armenian consumer
in reality pays $420 for gas. This is the correct sum,’ Bagratyan
wrote.

`Now the gas tariff will grow. So what? It means Russian company
(Gazprom) will sell gas to other Russian company (Armrusgasprom) at
higher price. Armenia’s president interferes in the process but why?
Let’s imagine for the moment that he does not (and it will be the
right thing to do). You think Russians will increase tariff without
oversight? No. Their income comprises of two elements gas tariff and
consumption volume. They will raise the tariff the volume will reduce.
A moment comes when the increase of one unit of gas tariff reduces the
gas consumption by 1 unit. And without doubt if our authorities do not
interfere the retail gas tariff will be lower. And why they are
interfering? I suppose it is the thing Russians want. With unnecessary
interference our authorities are not reducing the price but justify
its permanent growth. While in Armenia they were saying if not we the
gas tariff would have been higher. And who would say – dear as
compared with what it was to be higher?’ Bagratyan concluded.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress