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Problems related to the Russian gas price will not arise in Armenia, and no such issue will appear on the agenda in the near future, Chairman of the Union of Domestic Producers Vazgen Safaryan  said in an interview with Panorama.am when commenting on reports that the long-term development program of Armenia’s energy sector approved by the government on December 10  had  a forecast regarding an increase in the price of Russian gas supplied to Armenia.

‘Haykakan Zhamanak’ newspaper wrote today that one of the terms of Russia’s membership in WTO is that the sale of energy resources in the domestic market and in any foreign market shall be based on equal profitability   According to the paper, it means that in order to meet the terms of the membership in WTO, the price of Russian gas should be increased almost threefold for Armenia.

Safaryan said that regardless of how much the gas prices will go up, Armenia should have energy producing organizations so as to increase the share of hydropower plants and supply the population with most affordable electricity. For that purpose it is planned to build hydropower plants in Lori province (Lori Berd), in the village of Shnokh in Lori, and the city of Meghri in Syunik province.

Economist Vilen Khachatryan for his part told Panorama.am : “I don’t think that prices of Russian gas supplies to Armenia will go up. Russia will try to avoid such a move”.