Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Belarus

Gazprom Says Belarus Risking Gas Supplies

Sergei Kupriyanov (file photo) (ITAR-TASS)

December 26, 2006 -- Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has said Belarus could be risking its gas supplies in January if it refuses to agree to conditions on a price increase.

TEXT SIZE - +

December 26, 2006

Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said on December 25 that Belarus is insisting on maintaining the price it currently pays. He said the Belarusian demand is "irresponsible and threatens Belarus' energy supplies."

Gazprom has said it wants Belarus to pay $200 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas, or four times the current price.

Kupriyanov says Russia will also agree to Belarus paying $80 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas, if it transfers 50 percent of its state-run gas company to Gazprom.

(AP, Interfax)

How Much Do The Neighbors Pay?

SETTING THE RATES: With Gazprom negotiating new contracts, many states will be paying more for Russian natural gas in 2007.

Belarus, following tense negotiations with Gazprom, will pay $100 per 1,000 cubic meters in -- up from $47 in 2006.
Ukraine, which depends on Russia to supply it with about 77 percent of its gas, will pay $130 per 1,000 cubic meters of a Turkmen-Russian gas mix.
Moldova, which depends on Russia for 100 percent of its gas, will pay $170 per 1,000 cubic meters, with the price rising to European-level market price by 2011.
Georgia has agreed to pay Gazprom $235 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas.

ARCHIVE

A complete archive of RFE/RL's coverage of energy issues in the Caspian Sea region and Russia.

A vendor in the central Bosnian town of Zenica sells heart-shaped cushions with proclamations of love for 1 euro each.

Love It (Or Hate It), It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, the Western holiday celebrating love, has become a global phenomenon over the past two decades. The fall of communism and the emergence of the Internet have helped February 14 become something of an unofficial international day of romance. However, not all the passions the holiday stirs are related to love. While some countries have openly embraced the holiday, others are attempting to ban it or replace it with local customs. More

'Police Detain Stuffed Animals' In Minsk Toy Protest

Belarusian youth activists say police have "detained" some stuffed animals used in an antigovernment protest in Minsk, in an echo of similar recent protests in Russia. More

There are frequent reports in the Bulgarian and Ukrainian media about Romanian “pirates” robbing passing transport ships on the Danube. (file photo)

Reports Of 'Pirates Of The Danube' Get The Old Heave-Ho

An attack last month on a Ukrainian barge on the Romanian sector of the Danube River has caused a diplomatic tussle between Bucharest and Kyiv, sparking media reports of possible acts of piracy on Europe's second-largest river. But do “Danube pirates” actually exist? More