Opinion: Gas Price Raise To Affect Armenia’s Economy

OPINION: GAS PRICE RAISE TO AFFECT ARMENIA’S ECONOMY

ARKA
MArch 15, 2010

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. Vazgen Safaryan, the chairman of Association
of Domestic Manufacturers and the head of Public Council’s financial,
economic and budget commission, thinks the raise of gas price amid
the current social tension will affect Armenia’s economic development.

On Monday, speaking in Novosti International Press Center, he said
that gas and electric energy make up 55% of cost price of cement and
72% of that of rubber.

"This will make Armenian products more expensive than the products
on world markets and will weaken competitiveness of our commodities,"
he said.

Natural gas price for Armenia’s consumers will be raised 37.5% to
AMD 132 on April 1, 2010, from present AMD 96 per one cubic meter.

Those consumers using more than 10,000 cubic meters of gas monthly
will pay $243.13 per each 1,000 cubic meters instead of $215
presently.