Medvedev to arrive in Belarus to discuss gas issue

The Belarusian President will meet the Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Brest on June 22. According to a Russian newspaper “Vedomosti”, they will discuss the gas issue. The deputy head of the administration of “Gazprom” Valerii Golubev will accompany Medvedev. Minsk has asked to change the agreement signed in 2006 many times. According to it, the cost of gas for Belarus was supposed to become equal to the European price in 2011 (without 30% of the impost and transportation), the price had to reach 67% of the European price in 2008 (the indexation should happen once a quarter) and 80% - in 2009.
“Gazprom”’s European price is rising together with the oil price – this year’s forecast is $401 for a thousand cubic metres of gas. Belarus used to buy gas for $128 in the second quarter of the year and mentioned the sum of $140 in the budget of 2009 (”Gazprom” expects to get up to $200). Belarus would like to correct the agreement but “Gazprom” is not going to change anything. The press secretary of the state secretary of “the union state” Ivan Makushok told “Vedomosti” that no decision concerning the single constitutional act or single currency should be expected.