Authorities have no money for paying debts to Gazprom

• 23.07.2009, 11:53

Officials promise to pay one fifth part of the debt only in August, though the entire sum was required in July.

In August Belarus is to pay $50 million from the difference between the average annual and contract prices for gas delivered, the first Vice Prime Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Syamashka said to journalists in Minsk.

“Since August we will start to extinguish $ 252 mln difference which has appeared,” Syamashka said. “in the next months we will pay 100% (of gas price), and $50 mln from the difference,” he added.

The First Vice Prime Minister reminded that Belarus has paid off the gas delivered in June, proceeding from the price $150 per 1,000 cubic metres.

“We will do everything we promised,” U. Syamashka assured.

In the beginning of July the head of Gazprom Alexei Miller stated that Belarus’ debt for gas is $244 million, and in case Minsk won’t repay in July, Gazprom would either go to court or cut down volumes of deliveries.

Earlier the Russian newspaper Kommersant wrote that in connection with the dramatic deterioration in Belarusian –Russian relations, and Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s demarche who refused to come to Moscow for the CSTO summit, “Moscow can start a new attack on Minsk in the nearest future, this time a gas one”.