| Belarus is preparing energy proposals for Russia Yesterday, Belarus and Russia modestly celebrated a decade of union relations. Rumors have appeared about Alexander Lukashenko's supposed visit to Moscow today. However, Pavel Legkiy, a representative of the press service of the President of Belarus, told Vremya Novostey that he does not confirm this information. These rumors were not confirmed by VN in the Russian presidential administration.
Lukashenko sent out several congratulations on the occasion of the Day of Unity of Nations, saying that the decision to integrate with Russia was the only correct one. Vladimir Putin and Mikhail Fradkov sent him congratulations in return.
There was clearly no festive atmosphere. The day before, Gazprom announced its intention to increase gas prices for Belarus from 2007 to European levels. According to experts, in this way the Russian gas monopolist hopes to achieve participation in the privatization of the gas transport enterprise Beltransgaz. An increase in gas prices could deal a blow to the economic policy of Minsk, the stability of which is ensured by cheap energy resources.
In response, Belarusian Energy Minister Alexander Ageev said that Minsk had offered Gazprom cooperation in the framework of five projects. Among them are the creation of a joint venture based on Beltransgaz, the construction of the second branch of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline and participation in the modernization of the Grodno-Azot plant. “We are currently waiting for a response to our proposals,” the state news agency BelTA quoted the minister as saying. According to Mr. Ageev, according to union agreements, the cost of gas for Belarus should be balanced with its price for the Smolensk region of Russia. He recalled that since 2005, the price of Russian gas for Belarus has increased by 18% and amounts to $46.68 per 1 thousand cubic meters. meters.
The situation is complicated by Minsk's strained relations with the West, which did not recognize the results of the March 19 presidential elections. On Friday, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry temporarily recalled Ambassador to Warsaw Pavel Latushko for consultations. On the same day, the Charge d'Affaires of Poland was summoned to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. A day earlier, the leader of the united Belarusian opposition, Alexander Milinkevich, visited Poland, met with the country's leadership and spoke at the Sejm. Today, Mr. Milinkevich is scheduled to travel to Vienna (Austria chairs the European Union), and then to Strasbourg. Anna NAUMOVA, Olga TOMASHEVSKAYA, Minsk |
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