ArmInfo. Armenia may face a difficult gas supply situation, but Russia is not interested in such a development, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk told Vesti News Agency.
According to him, Armenia will essentially have no alternative to Russian gas, and the key issue will be the supply route.
"They [Armenia] just need to look at the map and see which pipelines are currently operational. They will immediately see from whom they will receive Russian gas, taking into account the 30% export duty, given that this will be the market price. And given that intermediaries will also want their share of the profits," the Deputy Prime Minister said. He noted that under such a scenario, gas prices for Armenia could become more expensive due to duties, market prices, and the involvement of intermediaries. "Therefore, the situation in Armenia will be very difficult. We don't want that," Overchuk stated.
Regarding this, relations between Moscow and Yerevan have become strained amid Armenia's integration efforts with the EU. Last week, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reported that Moscow had warned Yerevan of the risk of terminating agreements on gas, oil products, and diamonds if Armenia joins the EU. Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev later stated that Moscow had not received a response from Yerevan. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin recalled that Armenia receives Russian gas at a preferential price of $177.5 per 1,000 cubic meters, while the price for Europe is $633.
An agreement on duty-free supplies of Russian gas, oil products, and rough diamonds to Armenia was signed in 2013 and ratified in 2014. It applies only to domestic consumption volumes and prohibits re- export.
