Hrant Bagratyan, member of the Armenian National Congress, Former Prime Minister of Armenia dwelt on February 28 on the Armenian-Russian agreement on the gas price. Hrant Bagratyan says that gas price in Armenia is very high and there was no reason to increase it even more. He says that consumers in Armenia get the gas at 132 drams per 1000 cubic meters, adding the 180 dollars paid for 1000 cubic meters of gas from Russia, the gas price in Armenia becomes 360 dollars which is higher than in European countries. Bagratyan says that ArmRusGazArd leadership is cunning so convinced the Gazprom to set the price 180 dollar, while it included the rest sum in the costs of internal distribution. According to Bagratyan, internal costs in Armenia are higher than in any European or ex-Soviet country: 200 dollars against 20. Bagratyan says that perhaps Gazprom revealed all this thanks to publications by the Haykakan Zhamanak and Zhamanak on ANC disagreements with the gas price. The result, according to Bagratyan, is that Gazprom is informed and Serzh Sargsyan had a very serious talk with Medvedev. According to the former Premier, Russia got angry at the fact that due to misinformation by Armenia, it increased the gas price and the gas consumption in Armenia lowered. Bagratyan says that the reason for an intention to decrease gas price for vulnerable group is this. As for whether Gazprom was not aware of the machinations, and whether the gas price is not a lever to pose political demands by Russia, Bagratyan answered that sure, there is some pressure but it is not that much that the Gazprom was not aware.
