Belneftekhim denies reports about lower oil prices in Russia
According to the Russian news agency InfoTEKconsult, the price of oil at the Russian market dropped by 43 percent yesterday. Russian analysts forecast that all the petrochemical products will also become cheaper soon. To put it simple, Russian car owners will pay less at fuel stations.
Russia is a major supplier of crude oil to Belarusian refineries. Belneftekhim then sells fuel processed from the Russian crude at Belarusian fuel stations. The European Radio for Belarus explores whether Belarusian car owners should expect cheaper fuel prices.
Belneftekhim told the European Radio for Belarus that they did not hear that oil had become cheaper in Russia. Spokesman Siarhei Khlyaba said that these “rumors” could not justify the changes in fuel costs in Belarus.
Even if Belneftekhim wished to make a present to Belarusian car owners and reduce fuel prices, it would not be in the position to do it.
“We do not set prices. We deal with what we are told to do”, Khlyaba said.
It is the Council of Minister that coordinates the pricing policy for petrochemical products in Belarus, because this is a strategic budget-building sector. Alexander Timashenka, the press secretary of Belarusian PM Siarhei Sidorski, insists ministers discuss this issue only if Belneftekhim files a relevant proposal.
At the moment, the Council of Minister has received no proposals from Belneftekhim regarding the reduction of fuel prices. Timashenka says he has not heard about anything like that both during official meetings and back-stage.
According to economist Leanid Zlotnikau, we should not expect a drastic drop in pump fuel prices in Belarus despite lower crude costs both in Russia and in the world.
The latest when fuel prices changed in Belarus was on July 6, 2008. Diesel fuel price grew by 9.8 percent to reach Br2130 per liter. Petrol Normal-80 grew by 5 percent and cost Br 1850; A-92 reached Br2350; AI-95 -- Br2670 per liter.
The July increase was explained in Belneftekhim by the growing oil prices in Russia and the world markets. It is hard to understand why “rumors” about growing price arrive Belarus officials rapidly, while reports about dropping costs can’t even reach Belneftekhim at all.
