Belarus promises to pay electricity bill as Russian cutoff looms

29.01

Minsk/Moscow - Belarusian officials on Wednesday said an outstanding bill to Moscow for electricity would be paid 'immediately,' as a deadline loomed for Russia to cut off all power supplies to the former Soviet republic.

'We will pay,' said Belarusian Economy Minister Nikolai Snopkov at a news conference in Minsk. 'But whether or not we import electricity in the future will depend on the price.'

Officials at Russia's state electricity producer, Inter RAO UES, said on Tuesday they intended to cut Russian power to Belarus shortly after midnight Thursday because Belarus owes 43 million dollars for electricity used from March through May.

Belarus' government was 'working through procedures' to permit its national bank to purchase sufficient Russian roubles to pay the debt, the Belapan news agency reported.

Snopkov said that Belarusian electricity producers had sufficient excess capacity to cover a loss of Russian electricity if Inter cuts power on Thursday.

Belarus is highly dependent on Russia for oil and gas deliveries, but it obtains only some 12 to 15 per cent of its electricity from Inter, he said.

Belarus' economy has deteriorated during 2011 because of rising Russian energy costs and sluggish international demand for Belarusian goods.

Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko in March allowed the national currency to float freely against international currencies, causing an inflationary spike pushed higher by rising energy prices.

Lukashenko has said Russia is using higher energy prices to destabilise Belarus and possibly to force him from power.

Russia stopped providing Belarus with energy at subsidised prices in 2009. Kremlin officials have said they support a stable and independent Belarus, but Minsk must pay market prices for energy.

External source of this news: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1648276.php

The Forsecurity.org is not responsible for the content of external websites. However, the Experts of the Foreign Policy and Security Research center can comment the news from external sources. Foreign Policy and Security Research center created by leading Belarusian scientists, experts in the field of history, law, diplomacy in 2008 (Minsk, Belarus). Our spokepersons act as experts in the evaluation of current events in Belarus and abroad. The FPS Office of Media Relations helps members of the news media set up interviews with FPS experts, produces news releases to inform the media and public about FPS research and corporate news, and works with FPS researchers to produce op-eds for publication. The fastest way to get a response to a media interview or op-ed request is to email us. See also section Contacts. Feel free to contact us.

Home About an Invitation To Cooperation Mission Staff Commentaries by FPS Staff Rusakovich Andrei Vladimirovich Rozanov Anatoliy Arkadievich Research Briefs Tihomirov Alexander Valentinovich Shadurski Victor Gennadievich Sidorchuk Valery Kirillovich Brovka Gennady Mikhailovich Gancherenok Igor Ivanovich Malevich Ulianna Igorevna Prannik Tatiana Alexandrovna Selivanov Andrey Vladimirovich Sharapo Alexander Victorovich Testimonials Renee Buhr (the University of St. Thomas, USA) Harald Herrmann, TEMPUS Project Coordinator (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany) Steven Hoffman (the University of St. Thomas, USA) Conference Proceedings Amber Coast Transport Initiative Project Concept Nato and Belarus - partnership, past tensions and future possibilities OSCE High-Level Seminar on Military Doctrine Poland-Belarus: perspectives of cross-border cooperation Polish-Belarussian Transborder Customs Cooperation: сurrent Problems and Challenges Reports We see the significant reduction of the U.S. Army in Europe NATO's International Security Role International seminar on issues in the Collective Security Treaty Organization Belarus-Turkey: The ways of cooperation - 2011 Belarus - Poland: two decades of international relations Belarus-Turkey: The ways of cooperation - 2009 International seminar Belarusian Diaspora: Past and Present The first Round Table News Releases The conference on Overcoming the financial crisis Round Table on history and future of Belarus-Poland cooperation Seminar on Belarusian diaspora: past and present The conference on Belarus in the Modern World The conference on Economic, legal and informational aspects of cooperation in customs sphere Comments According to Belarus legislation, abolishing the death penalty is only possible through referendum Contact
Search this site:	FOREIGN POLICY: Belarus-European Union, Belarus-IMF, Belarus-Russia, Belarus-Lithuania, Belarus-Poland, Belarus-Turkey SECURITY: Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, Economic Crisis in Belarus, OSCE - Belarus, NATO and Belarus TOPICS: death penalty in Belarus, Belarus and Eastern Partnership, Euronest, Belarus silent actions, Breivik in Belarus, Belarus in the Wikileaks PERSONS: Lukashenka (Lukashenko), Byalyatski (Bialacki, Bialiatski, Beliatski), Bandarenka (Bondarenko), Maira Mora, Аndrzej Poczobut, Carl Bildt, Ferenc Kontra ORGANISATIONS: Belneftekhim, BelAZ, Belomo, BelTechExport

*Dialogue for security.* The official site of non-governmental association ]]> Foreign Policy and Security Research center ]]> (Minsk, Belarus)
		View View items Belarus promises to pay electricity bill as Russian cutoff looms 29.01 Minsk/Moscow - Belarusian officials on Wednesday said an outstanding bill to Moscow for electricity would be paid 'immediately,' as a deadline loomed for Russia to cut off all power supplies to the former Soviet republic. 'We will pay,' said Belarusian Economy Minister Nikolai Snopkov at a news conference in Minsk. 'But whether or not we import electricity in the future will depend on the price.' Officials at Russia's state electricity producer, Inter RAO UES, said on Tuesday they intended to cut Russian power to Belarus shortly after midnight Thursday because Belarus owes 43 million dollars for electricity used from March through May. Belarus' government was 'working through procedures' to permit its national bank to purchase sufficient Russian roubles to pay the debt, the Belapan news agency reported. Snopkov said that Belarusian electricity producers had sufficient excess capacity to cover a loss of Russian electricity if Inter cuts power on Thursday. Belarus is highly dependent on Russia for oil and gas deliveries, but it obtains only some 12 to 15 per cent of its electricity from Inter, he said. Belarus' economy has deteriorated during 2011 because of rising Russian energy costs and sluggish international demand for Belarusian goods. Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko in March allowed the national currency to float freely against international currencies, causing an inflationary spike pushed higher by rising energy prices. Lukashenko has said Russia is using higher energy prices to destabilise Belarus and possibly to force him from power. Russia stopped providing Belarus with energy at subsidised prices in 2009. Kremlin officials have said they support a stable and independent Belarus, but Minsk must pay market prices for energy. External source of this news: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1648276.php The Forsecurity.org is not responsible for the content of external websites. However, the Experts of the Foreign Policy and Security Research center can comment the news from external sources. Foreign Policy and Security Research center created by leading Belarusian scientists, experts in the field of history, law, diplomacy in 2008 (Minsk, Belarus). Our spokepersons act as experts in the evaluation of current events in Belarus and abroad. The FPS Office of Media Relations helps members of the news media set up interviews with FPS experts, produces news releases to inform the media and public about FPS research and corporate news, and works with FPS researchers to produce op-eds for publication. The fastest way to get a response to a media interview or op-ed request is to email us. See also section Contacts. Feel free to contact us. Email Subscribers Only Getting Updates Once A Day	BELARUS NEWS (in English) 02.09 US Embassy Supports Integration Programs for the Disabled 02.09 Lukashenko will not attend Commonwealth of Independent States summit in Dushanbe 02.09 Belarus’ foreign trade surplus at $167.5m in July 02.09 Opposition should get back to basics of EU integration 02.09 Belarus Lukashenko vows to free all election protesters 02.09 No drastic changes in Belarus’ import and export operations expected 02.09 Belarus’ exports 15% above imports in January-July 02.09 Belarusian regime pledges to release all political prisoners 02.09 Belarus’ Defense Ministry trains inspectors from Nato, OSCE 02.09 Lukashenka’s regime released four political prisoners 02.09 Gazprom: Talks with Belarus constructive 02.09 Lukashenko Won’t Participate in Dushanbe CIS Summit 02.09 Chechen on Russian wanted list taken in Belarus 02.09 Surprise Pardons Follow Belarus Pledge To Release Political Prisoners 02.09 Myasnikovich to head Belarus’ delegation at Dushanbe summit 02.09 Lukashenka pardons four more post-election protesters 02.09 IMF lauds Belarus’ decision to unveil macroeconomic stabilization strategy 02.09 Names of Pardoned "Decembrists" Became Known 02.09 Lukashenko congratulates Vietnam on Independence Day 02.09 Lukashenko vows to free prisoners « first ‹ previous … 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 … next › last » There are no items for this feed at the moment. « first ‹ previous … 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

FOR PARTNERS The FPS Research Center is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. FPS focuses on the issues that matter most such as national security, international affairs, and more. As a nonpartisan organization, FPS operates independent of political and commercial pressures. We serve the public interest by helping lawmakers reach informed decisions on the nation's pressing challenges. Foreign Policy and Security Research Center has the capacity to implement scientific programs, to conduct sociological research, scientific conferences, seminars and lectures. We are open to cooperation with representatives of state agencies, research centers, political parties, international civil society organizations.	EMAIL US For Whom : * You can contact any of our experts (to do this, simply enter his name), CEO of our Center, or simply ask the site administrator. Your Name: * Your City: * We are from Minsk (Belarus) Your Organization or University: * We are from the Foreign Policy and Security Research Center What are your scientific interests?: * Learn more about our interests here Your Email: * Please be sure that your email address is correct otherwise we can not contact you. Your Phone Number: * For example, your mobile phone number with country code Your Message : * What code is in the image?: * Enter the characters shown in the image.
]]> ]]>

Belarus promises to pay electricity bill as Russian cutoff looms

FOR PARTNERS