ArmInfo.Armenia does not want to pay for Russian gas as much as Gazprom offers it. As "Gazeta.ru" reports, Yerevan is already starting to press fines on the Gazprom's "daughter" in Armenia. Experts warn that it is not worth waiting for the price reduction. Cheaper is nowhere. The conflict can be resolved during the visit of Vladimir Putin to Armenia.
Armenian authorities want Moscow to reduce the price of natural Russian gas. Negotiations have been going on for more than a month, and all deadlines have long ended. But the agreement has not been reached. The indexation of gas prices in Russia from July 1 is a new reason for official Yerevan to return to an old problem.
To recall, from January 1, 2019, Russia has already raised prices for Russian gas for Armenia from $ 150 to $ 165 per thousand cubic meters. But this is the price "at the entrance" to Armenia, and the internal tariff for the population has remained the same. Experts believe that Russia is not ready to reduce the price. <Armenia already receives gas at a very competitive price, lower than the market. Only Belarus gets gas cheaper. So there is no place below, "Konstantin Simonov, director general of the National Energy Security Foundation, told Gazeta.ru.
Georgia, for example, buys Azerbaijani gas at $ 200-215, Turkey - at $ 290, Iran sells its gas to Turkey at $ 300-400. On the other hand, gas prices always have not only a financial component, it is always a matter of big politics. It is advantageous for Russia to have a tool of influence on its neighbors, even more or less loyal, as Armenia and the same Belarus, experts noted.
The new Armenian leader Pashinyan is friends with Russia. But he is not ready to follow the Kremlin's seaway, Simonov said. There are always reasons for friction between countries, Alexey Makarin agrees, the first vice-president of the Center for Political Technologies.
For example, Moscow categorically dislike the arrest of former President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan. The current authorities accuse him of trying to usurp power. Meanwhile, it is believed that during the time of Kocharyan's presidency (1998-2008), Armenia had just decided on the pro-Russian choice.
<And Russia has leverage over the current government of Armenia. And this is not only gas, but security guarantees on the Karabakh problem, "says Makarkin, believing that Armenia has few chances to receive next gas benefits from Russia.