ArmInfo.A possible increase in the cost of gas for the Armenian consumer, according to my calculations, will not exceed 4-4.5%. MP of the National Assembly of Armenia from the 'My Step" bloc Hayk Gevorgyan expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.
"A year ago, the increase in the cost of gas at the border from 150 to $ 165 per 1000 cubic was acquired by Gazprom Armenia due to the reduction of its own profit. Now they are thinking about whether or not to apply to the PSRC to increase tariffs for gas for the consumer. If this does happen, all discussions on this issue will be exclusively public. And the price of gas will increase only if Gazprom Armenia provides clear justification for this," he stressed.
Answering the question of MP Arman Babajanyan about the likelihood of rising gas prices addressed to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on January 22, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan noted that there have been and will be many discussions on this subject.
"Gazprom insists on an investment program. Settlements are made for 10 years. Of course, there are disagreements. We do not exclude that an application will be submitted after April 1. Answers to all questions will be received when the application is submitted, and then we will give our arguments. If it turns out that the margin between the price at the border and the tariff is inflated or not justified, it is unlikely that the tariff will be approved, " the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Meanwhile, according to Gevorgyan, the fact that gas reaches the Armenian consumer at a price that is almost double the price at the border is also a problem. According to him, this problem is in the focus of attention of the government and, accordingly, the subject of discussion. According to the MP, the problem has multiple dimensions, including political.
According to his forecasts, by 2025, Armenia will begin to receive gas at uniform prices provided for all countries participating in the EAEU Unified Energy Market. In this light, he considers the priority of the Armenian government to maintain the situation-prices over the coming years. "In reality, the possible increase in gas prices for our consumer does not correspond to the noise that some well-known circles are raising around this prospect. The possible rise in price of gas will have very little impact on inflation in the country. Another question is how much is already substantiated domestic gas price.
It is necessary to understand that the current gas price inside Armenia is justified by senseless expenses in the past. We are talking about gas transmission to distant villages before each pre-election period, which subsequently was automatically laid down in the future tariff. Meanwhile, in remote settlements, the issue of energy supply needed to be solved with the help of exclusively alternative energy sources, "the parliamentarian concluded.bv
