GAGIK MELIKIAN HOPEFUL THAT AUTHORITIES TO TAKE STEPS FOR MAKING RISE IN GAS PRICE "BEARABLE FOR THE POPULATION"

Noyan Tapan

Feb 10, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. By the agreement signed between
Gazprom and ArmRusgazprom, starting from April 1, the price of gas
imported into Armenia from Russia will make 154 USD per 1,000 cubic
meters instead of current 110 USD. Spokeswoman for ArmRusgazprom
Shushan Sardarian told Radio Liberty that on February 8 the company
submitted a bid to the RA Public Services Regulatory Commission.

It is noted in the bid that the tariff of 1,000 cubic meters of
natural gas sold to users of up to 10 thousand cubic meters (that is,
residents) will make 99 thousand drams instead of the previous 84
thousand drams.

The tariff of gas sold to users of over 10 thousand cubic meters
(that is, production enterprises) will also increase – from 153 to
230 USD per 1,000 cubic meters.

The deputy of the National Assembly Gagik Melikian expressed a hope
that the authorities will take steps so that the increase in the
gas price will not be considerable and "will be bearable for the
population", and "it will not have a negative impact in terms of a
rise in power prices".