Cost of fuel to increase by 5-17% at Belarusian filling stations
Polish and Ukrainian experts are predicting the increase of prices for fuel in their countries soon. The cost of fuel in Russia is increasing every day. As ERB has found out, it will become more expensive in Belarus in the near future too. However, while official sources claim that prices will not increase by more than 5%, independent economists say that they will go up by 15%.
According to an economist Leanid Zaika, the cost of oil on the international market exceeds the real cost twice. It is a result of a big oil companies’ stock market game. Russian companies are going the same way now.
Leanіd Zaіka: “Russians are increasing the cost of fuel in the Russian market now. It is a dominating factor because a number of Russian companies distributing fuel in Belarus, for example LukOil, are bringing fuel for their filling stations situated here from Russia. As the growth of prices has already started in Russia and no anti-monopoly process has been started, Russian companies will do the same in Belarus. Everything is connected. Russian companies including LukOil also work in Ukraine”.
The economist predicts that the cost of fuel for Belarusian drivers will increase by at least 15 or 17%.
Leanіd Zaіka: “The increase was 14.5% last year so the prices are likely to increase by 15 or 17% this year”.
At the same time, the expert says that the fuel in Belarus is 1.5 times more expensive than the real cost even taking into account the world oil prices. Oil-processing plants make about 1 thousand roubles on every litre of fuel with the help of the excise-duty. The Belarusian authorities can lower the price of fuel by lowering the excise-duty. If they like.
Leanіd Zaіka: “What can Sidorski do? Limitations connected with the limitation of the monopolies’ activities can be introduced in Belarus. We have state enterprises here. An analysis of the real expenses should be conducted there and they should be controlled. Monitoring prices is not difficult. They could also cancel the excise-duty because an excise for fuel is as silly as an excise for, say, Christmas-tree decorations. Up to 40% Belarusian families with two children have a car and an excise-duty for fuel will not regulate the social disparity. Fuel is a mass consumption product. And the government can exercise a rigid monitoring of the prices. Private companies would have to fulfill the government’s demands”.
ERB tried to find out whether the increase of fuel prices in such countries as Ukraine, Poland and Belarus was a result of some political game rather than the usual monopolists’ greed. However, an expert Raman Yakauleuski thinks there is no reason to suspect any “special” operation of the Kremlin behind it all.
Raman Yakauleuskі: “Gazprom” and other monopolists are the Russian policy. However, I do not have any precise information proving that it is another Putin’s special operation”.
According to him, it will not be possible to solve the problem only with the help of arguments mentioning “the sincere friendship” of Belarus and Russia, because Russia agrees to make friends only on market terms.
As ERB found out in one of oil-processing concerns, they have been waiting for the permission to increase prices for a long time. They said that the price of oil had risen by 20% since the beginning of the year and that the fuel was still being distributed at the old price here.
ERB’s “source”: “The price for fuel has not increased since last November in Belarus. At the same time the price for oil has increased by 20%. That is why we would like to raise the price. We would like to do it because there is a great demand for fuel at our fillings stations and everything is being exported to the neighbouring states. Even to Russia. Diesel oil is more expensive in Bryansk Region than here”.
It is still not clear when the prices will rise. It will probably happen in the next few days. According to ERB’s interlocutor, the price will increase by about 5%. Diesel oil will become even more expensive.
ERB’s “source”: “It will happen in the near future. It is difficult to guess the exact date. The decision will be taken by the state and I cannot comment on the terms. However, there will be an increase by at least 5%. Diesel oil will become even more expensive, but nobody knows how much more expensive it will be”.
According to an economist Leanid Zaika, the cost of oil on the international market exceeds the real cost twice. It is a result of a big oil companies’ stock market game. Russian companies are going the same way now.
Leanіd Zaіka: “Russians are increasing the cost of fuel in the Russian market now. It is a dominating factor because a number of Russian companies distributing fuel in Belarus, for example LukOil, are bringing fuel for their filling stations situated here from Russia. As the growth of prices has already started in Russia and no anti-monopoly process has been started, Russian companies will do the same in Belarus. Everything is connected. Russian companies including LukOil also work in Ukraine”.
The economist predicts that the cost of fuel for Belarusian drivers will increase by at least 15 or 17%.
Leanіd Zaіka: “The increase was 14.5% last year so the prices are likely to increase by 15 or 17% this year”.
At the same time, the expert says that the fuel in Belarus is 1.5 times more expensive than the real cost even taking into account the world oil prices. Oil-processing plants make about 1 thousand roubles on every litre of fuel with the help of the excise-duty. The Belarusian authorities can lower the price of fuel by lowering the excise-duty. If they like.
Leanіd Zaіka: “What can Sidorski do? Limitations connected with the limitation of the monopolies’ activities can be introduced in Belarus. We have state enterprises here. An analysis of the real expenses should be conducted there and they should be controlled. Monitoring prices is not difficult. They could also cancel the excise-duty because an excise for fuel is as silly as an excise for, say, Christmas-tree decorations. Up to 40% Belarusian families with two children have a car and an excise-duty for fuel will not regulate the social disparity. Fuel is a mass consumption product. And the government can exercise a rigid monitoring of the prices. Private companies would have to fulfill the government’s demands”.
ERB tried to find out whether the increase of fuel prices in such countries as Ukraine, Poland and Belarus was a result of some political game rather than the usual monopolists’ greed. However, an expert Raman Yakauleuski thinks there is no reason to suspect any “special” operation of the Kremlin behind it all.
Raman Yakauleuskі: “Gazprom” and other monopolists are the Russian policy. However, I do not have any precise information proving that it is another Putin’s special operation”.
According to him, it will not be possible to solve the problem only with the help of arguments mentioning “the sincere friendship” of Belarus and Russia, because Russia agrees to make friends only on market terms.
As ERB found out in one of oil-processing concerns, they have been waiting for the permission to increase prices for a long time. They said that the price of oil had risen by 20% since the beginning of the year and that the fuel was still being distributed at the old price here.
ERB’s “source”: “The price for fuel has not increased since last November in Belarus. At the same time the price for oil has increased by 20%. That is why we would like to raise the price. We would like to do it because there is a great demand for fuel at our fillings stations and everything is being exported to the neighbouring states. Even to Russia. Diesel oil is more expensive in Bryansk Region than here”.
It is still not clear when the prices will rise. It will probably happen in the next few days. According to ERB’s interlocutor, the price will increase by about 5%. Diesel oil will become even more expensive.
ERB’s “source”: “It will happen in the near future. It is difficult to guess the exact date. The decision will be taken by the state and I cannot comment on the terms. However, there will be an increase by at least 5%. Diesel oil will become even more expensive, but nobody knows how much more expensive it will be”.
