Bid for higher natural gas tariffs ‘not ruled out' after April 1  - deputy premier

The transit prices for natural gas are not expected to rise throughout 2020, a deputy prime minister of Armenia said Monday, citing a recently reached arrangement with the Russian side.

But Mher Grigoryan did not rule out the possibility of a bid for higher tariffs after April 1.

″Discussions are now going on, which have yet to be summarized. I do not see any reason for such a bid at the moment. But we may not rule out that possibility after April 1,″ he told reporters.

Asked whether the government is planning any subsidies, Grigoryan said they will express their position once the issue dominates the agenda. ″Once the bid is submitted and there is a justification, the government will express its position. I don't think we will be facing problems,″ he added.  

The deputy PM pointed out to three factors potentially influencing the gas tariffs: the transit price on border, the regular expenditures and the investment programs. “Investments are thought to be indispensible for organizing the safe, unhampered and efficient delivery of gas across Armenia. There are investment-related plans as that deals largely with security and efficiency. Gazprom Armenia may have its say when it comes to investments. The issue will be considered in an open and transparent environment should such a problem ever emerge,” he added.