Talks on lifting special oil duties unsuccessful so far

• 31.07.2009, 12:30

At the moment Belarus and Russia are discussing conditions for deliveries of Russian oil to Belarus in 2010.

According to the Belarusian side, in the framework of the forming customs union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan, such a phenomenon as special duties for Russian oil. However, so far the talks haven’t given any results. It has been stated by the director general of Mozyr oil refinery Anatol Kupryjanau, AFN informs.

“Talks are underway, but they haven’t had effect so far,” mass media quote the director general of the oil refinery, who has once again confirmed the stand of Belarus on this issue.

“Now the documents on the Customs union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan are being formalized. I think that after its creation we would have grounds to say that there shouldn’t be customs duties,” Kupriyanov said.

He didn’t conceal that lifting the customs duty would allow the enterprise to work “in different economic conditions”. However he admitted that even with re special duty the oil refinery is rather successful.

“The economic situation of the enterprise is worsening, but thanks to subsidies of the Belarusian budget for compensation of a part of money resources we pay in the form of the customs duties, its situation gets better,” Kupriyanov said.

However, Mozyr oil refinery can boast receiving subsidies from the budget. Other suppliers of oil in Belarus had to face a different economic reality. After the well-known discussion on issues of the oil industry in Belarus with Lukashenka’s participation, the Belarusian authorities refused to pay subsidies for May which oil traders had to receive.