Minsk says $73 per 1000 cubic meters fair price for Russian gas
Belarus considers $73 per 1000 cubic meters a fair price for Russian gas, TASS reports quoting Belarusian Energy Minister Uladzimir Patupchyk as saying on Thursday.
Russia insists gas for Belarus now costs $142 per 1000 cubic meters.
Patupchyk stressed that "Belarusian side is speaking not about a discount but about market-based equal netback pricing." "Today the price for Germany and Ukraine net of customs duty is substantialy less than for Belarus," Patupchyk said adding that Belarus has the legal grounds for insisting on implementation of the intergovernmenal gas deal.
In early April, Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kabyakou said $80 per 1000 cubic meters was a fair price for Russian gas.
According to Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak, Belarus and Russian premiers ordered the governments to continue consultations.
Russia says that Belarus's debt to Gazprom has exceeded $125 million over the past four months in 2016. But the Belarusian minister insists Minsk has no debt to Gazprom.
