Zaika: “Gas war” is directed against Lukashenka

Belarus will send a “lower-level” delegation to negotiations in Moscow because all this “gas war” is directed against the Belarusian leader. An economist Leanid Zaika has expressed the opinion in an interview with ERB. Leanid Zaika: “The main and the most crucial issue is the Kremlin’s new policy applied to authoritarian regimes. The Kremlin has started using its own resources to change Presidents. It has happened in Kyrgyzstan, in Ukraine and Alyaksandr Ryhoravich is the next. He understands it and sends a lower-level representative to conduct the negotiations. They will demonstrate the anti-Belarusian essence of the Kremlin and its leaders. And we will witness a new political shoot-out. However, its result is not going to be the best for Alyaksandr Ryhoravich”.

Zaika says that he has already encountered the position that “Gazprom” owes money to Belarus for the transit of Russian gas to Europe.

Leanid Zaika: “I have already faced this question design when we had a similar problem with oil. Issues concerning the problem of export duties arose then. The sum of 1 billion 800 million dollars was mentioned. The index of transit pumping of oil for the same sum suddenly appeared back then.”

The expert says that this position is non-constructive. Furthermore, he says that negotiations should begin with the fact that the cost price of Russian gas is 15 dollars for 1 cubic meter in order to start a constructive discussion. The rest of the sum – “Gazprom”’s gain – is not motivated by anything. However, Zaika thinks that Belarus will have to pay.

All the more so since the population has paid for this gas. The question is why the money has not reached “Gazprom”.