Belarus considers it economically inexpedient and pointless to pay bonuses to Russian oil companies in the same amount. Therefore, the government is looking for alternative supplies of raw materials, BelTA informs.
“We have sent out relevant commercial proposals. All commercial services of our refineries, the Belarusian Oil Company, are in negotiations almost on a daily basis. I think, here we will soon get alternative options for the supply of specific oil, too. All possible countries: Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic States, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan. We are now engaged in this matter,” said First Deputy Prime Minister Dzmitry Krutoy.
At the same time, according to Dzmitry Krutoy, negotiations with Russia continue.
“We have no new nuances of negotiations with the Russian Federation at the moment. We still maintain the position that in the context of the implementation of the tax maneuver and annual increase in the cost of oil for Belarus by reducing customs duties, it makes no sense today to pay a premium to Russian oil companies in the amount in which we agreed to do it in 2011. It’s just economically inexpedient,” said Dzmitry Krutoy.
On January 14, it became known that the tough position of major Russian oil companies on oil supplies to Belarus is associated with the recommendations of the Kremlin. The matter is that Moscow is dissatisfied with a position of Minsk on coordination of road maps of integration. That is why the Kremlin sees no reason to make concessions to Belarus on the oil issue. The decision to interrupt the supply of black gold to Belarus is due to the instructions of the Russian leadership.
