YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS: The negotiations with the Russian Federation on the subsidization of the tariff for the natural gas entering the Republic of Armenia are in the final stage. This was stated by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia Armen Movsisyan at the briefing with the journalists held on July 10. “The negotiations are in the final stage and we will announce about the results in several days”, - said the Minister. Armen Movsisyan did not clarify if the subsidization means will be grant funds. The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources added that the sum will be about 150 million USD.

Answering the question that the gas tariff should not have been increased at all, Armen Movsisyan stated that the change of the gas tariff does not depend on him. “It is a production of another country, which sales it in accordance with its adopted rules and methods”, - said the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia.

The increase of the gas tariff in Armenia has been put into force since July 7 2013.

On March 31 2006 the Gazprom and the Government of the Republic of Armenia signed a 25-year agreement on the participation of the Gazprom in the gas and energy projects implementation, carried out in the territory of the Republic. In accordance with the document, it is intended to increase the share of the Gazprom in the Armrusgasprom Company by issuing additional shares.

In the result of the issue of shares, the Gazprom’s share in the Armrusgasprom’s share capital has been increased to 80%.

Since April 1 2011 the Government has compensated the tariff for the natural gas consumed by the needy families. 70 million 595 thousand AMD will be allocated as a compensation for the consumption of gas by the needy families for the months of January-March 2013, who pay 100 AMD for one cubic meter of gas instead of 132 AMD.

Armrusgasprom CJSC and Transgaz LLC applied to the Public Services Regulatory Commission of the Republic of Armenia, offering to raise the current gas tariff from AMD 132,000 to AMD 221,000. It was suggested to raise the present price for the gas from 132,000 AMD to 221,000 AMD for the users (subscribers), who consume up to 10,000 normal cubic meter of gas monthly, VAT included.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan sent an official letter to the Chairman of the Public Services Regulatory Commission of the Republic of Armenia Robert Nazaryan. In accordance with the letter the Government of the Republic of Armenia will subsidize the gas tariff for 30 percent.