Parliament to convene hearings on setting up ad hoc commission to look into gas pricing mechanism
02.03.2011,
00:03
Vahan Hovhanesian, a parliament member from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun faction, who made a motion today to set up an ad hoc commission to make a probe of how the national natural gas system works, said hearings on the motion will
YEREVAN, March 1, /ARKA/. Vahan Hovhanesian, a parliament member from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun faction, who made a motion today to set up an ad hoc commission to make a probe of how the national natural gas system works, said hearings on the motion will be held in the parliament prior to March 21, when the next session may put it to vote.
He said the parliament speaker and head of a standing committee on economic issues also agreed to convene the hearings and look into the expediency of setting up an ad hoc commission.
Vahan Hovhanesian said not only representatives of ArmRosGazprom natural gas operator, but also government members responsible for determining gas price will be invited to attend the hearing.
He said the hearings and setting up an ad hoc commission would benefit all and today’s discussion of the problem showed that parliament members realize its importance.
Armenian and Russian presidents agreed last Friday that the price of natural gas in Armenia this year will not rise after they met in Russian Saint Petersburg.
Russian Gazprom that holds more than 80% in Armenia’s national gas operator ArmRosGazprom, raised the cost of gas for Armenia by 14 percent in 2009 and by another 17 percent in 2010 April to $180 per thousand cubic meters. Following it the Armenian Pubic Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) approved a 37.5 percent surge in the gas price for households requested by ArmRosGazprom. Last September Gazprom said it would gradually bring its gas tariffs for Armenia, Moldova and Belarus up to “market-based” international levels in the coming years. Gazprom currently sells gas to western and Central European countries for over $300 per thousand cubic meters.-0-
He said the parliament speaker and head of a standing committee on economic issues also agreed to convene the hearings and look into the expediency of setting up an ad hoc commission.
Vahan Hovhanesian said not only representatives of ArmRosGazprom natural gas operator, but also government members responsible for determining gas price will be invited to attend the hearing.
He said the hearings and setting up an ad hoc commission would benefit all and today’s discussion of the problem showed that parliament members realize its importance.
Armenian and Russian presidents agreed last Friday that the price of natural gas in Armenia this year will not rise after they met in Russian Saint Petersburg.
Russian Gazprom that holds more than 80% in Armenia’s national gas operator ArmRosGazprom, raised the cost of gas for Armenia by 14 percent in 2009 and by another 17 percent in 2010 April to $180 per thousand cubic meters. Following it the Armenian Pubic Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) approved a 37.5 percent surge in the gas price for households requested by ArmRosGazprom. Last September Gazprom said it would gradually bring its gas tariffs for Armenia, Moldova and Belarus up to “market-based” international levels in the coming years. Gazprom currently sells gas to western and Central European countries for over $300 per thousand cubic meters.-0-
