Gas, MPs and Russia
Tigran Urikhanyan, a lawmaker of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), has calculated that the gas price could be increased by 18 percent instead of the announced 64 percent.
I cannot understand where the remaining 42 percent emerged," he said.
The BHK lawmaker does not blame the hike in natural gas price on the Russian side. He blames ArmRusgasprom CJSC which has addressed Armenia's Public Services Regulatory Commission with an offer to reconsider natural gas prices. "The company must curb its appetite. They buy gas at affordable prices but want to re-sell it to consumers at higher prices," said Urikhanyan.
Vahan Hovhannisyan, a lawmaker of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation - Dashnaktsutyun, does not blame Russia for the gas price increase either. "Certain circles can afford to ignore the interests of Armenia. We must not allow them to ignore our interests."
The state owns 20 percent share of ArmRusgasprom CJSC. The newly appointed Minister of Economy Vahram Avanesyan the new tariffs proposed by the Russian side do not aim to degrade Armenia. Gas prices have gone up on international markets, he added.
The minister says the government officials are currently negotiating with Russians in order to somehow mitigate the increase in gas prices.
Armen Movsisyan, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, hurried to help his colleague by saying, "Gas prices are the lowest in Armenia compared with the other countries in the region. Russia is well-disposed to us."
Then the minister reminded that there are other things connecting Armenia and Russia, besides natural gas.
"One of the things you mentioned is Russian military bases in Armenia. Why did you give them to Russia for free? The mode of actions of these authorities shows that they are inflicting great damages to our state every day," said Heritage Party MP Zaruhi Postanjyan.
