Belarus, Russia in talks over crude oil tariffs

Беларусь і Расія вядуць перамовы аб тарыфах на транзіт нафты

Belarus and Russia are continuing negotiations on the transit tariffs for Russian crude oil, Minister for Trade Uladzimir Kaltovich.

The minister is quoted by BELTA as saying that at the moment the talks are in progress at the level of experts and enterprises. Kaltovich stressed that the oil transit tariffs are negotiated every year.

Belarus seeks to increase the tariff by 20.5% effective from January 1, 2017. But this figure can be adjusted, Kaltovich explained.

In 2010, Minsk and Moscow agreed upon the methodology of changing the tariffs for the transit of crude oil via the pipelines in Belarus. Under this methodology, Belarusian companies Homeltransnafta Druzhba and Polacktransnafta Druzhba are to submit for approval by November 25 to the Russian company Transneft the planned tariffs for the next year. This year, the tariffs were submitted on November 23.