Paying for Belarusian goods with Russian rubles and for energy – with dollars is unfair, believes Prime Minister Andrei Kabyakou.
According to him, the price of Russian gas for Belarus should be $80 instead of the current $142. Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kabyakou explained his opinion by the fluctuations of the ruble in relation to the dollar.
“Last year, the volume of foreign trade between countries amounted to about 82% in local currencies. Belarus’ export to Russia is almost 100% in Russian rubles. Import is also in Russian rubles. But we buy all the energy for dollars,” said Prime Minister of Belarus.
You can pay in rubles, but the price is tied to the dollar, said Kabyakou.
According to him, in spite of the serious weakening of the Russian ruble in relation to the dollar, for Belarus gas price stayed almost the same.
“With regard to natural gas, its price in early 2014 was $165 per thousand cubic meters. It was at the rate of 32-33 Russian ruble for the dollar. On January 1, 2015, the price of gas for us was $142. At the same time, the dollar began to cost more than 60 Russian rubles. Logically, the gas should have cost about $80,” said Andrei Kabyakou.
belsat.eu, RIA NOVOSTI
