Former ruling party hits at Armenia gas deal with Russia as “disgraceful”

Arminfo
8 Apr 06

Yerevan, 7 April: A former ruling party of Armenia, the Armenian
Pan-National Movement [APNM], is against the “disgraceful” deal the
Armenian authorities have struck with Russia’s Gazprom company, and
views the move as dangerous for the country’s national security.

Under the pretext of lowering gas tariffs, the current authorities in
reality are making yet another attempt to retain their grip on power
and hold a “self-election”, the party told Arminfo.

The APNM believes that there is no political, economic, or social
justification for the sale of the fifth bloc of the Razdan power
station in return for the “dubious” lowering of gas tariffs for
consumers.

Handing over control over the energy grid to another country is
nothing but the loss of the most important basis of independence,
particularly given the fact that this deal brought Russia’s share in
the structure of Armenia’s energy sector close to 100 per cent, the
party said in a statement.

As was the case with the property-for-debt deal, the property of the
Armenian state was sold at a lower price, whereas the fifth bloc of
the power station in two or three years could have fully covered the
price for which it was sold.

The party believes that all government arguments that the deal is
aimed at resolving social problems of people are “dishonest lies”.
Moreover, all of the 248.8m dollars will be channelled to a special
Defence Ministry account, which is not transparent at all.

Therefore, on the one hand, the disgraceful deal is aimed at softening
the consequences of the price rise ahead of the parliamentary and
presidential elections. On the other, the incumbent authorities will
be able to use the funds to stay in office, the statement read.