Economist Bagrat Asatryan suggests 20% of share of “Armrusgasprom” if the government needs to sell them, then sell it to its own people but not to “Gasprom”. In a conversation with Aravot.am the former president of the Central Bank of Armenia expressed his opinion that if we are a state and think about the future of our country, we just should not take the step of selling the government share to “Gasprom”. “If the government wants to sell, let it turn to its own people, or to the local businesses, even the pensioner can do it, we all will contribute money from our pocket and obtain the share. It will be a profitable deal, even a pensioner can buy a share. People will display a big readiness; it will be a source of income for pensioners. This is a company that does not want to work with less than 15-20% of profitability, buying a share our pensioners will have guaranteed income”. According to Mr. Asatryan, selling the government share of “ArmRusGasProm” is an occasion where the authorities will show their true face, of course depending on to whom it will sell the shares. If they are acquired by Armenians and if it becomes our own property, we will have the opportunity to influence on “ArmRusGasProm”, the only gas supplying company of “Gasprom”. “Otherwise, either we will not have the opportunity to influence at all, or they will get offended. It is fraught of all kinds of danger, which is unpredictable and a very dangerous phenomenon. ”
To our observation that being an owner of 100%, “Gasprom” may exert any pressure on Armenia, and not only in terms of determining the price for gas, Mr. Asatryan said, – “This is not just an economic issue. “Gasprom” may even exert political pressure, it is the only exclusive and monopolistic company that will remain a sole supplier of gas in the next 20-30-50 years, and, in fact, selling 20% to them, and they will entirely give this alternative into the hands of aliens and reduce the leverages of the Armenian side.” As explained by the economist, selling the Armenian share of “ArmRusGasArd” to the Russian side is directly culpability not to realizing the future interest, which is fraught with unpredictable, many adverse consequences. Recall that recently information was spread on the official website of “Gasprom” that the company director Alexey Miller and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan have had a meeting and discussed at the home office of the company, and there was also a talk about bringing the Russian share in “ArmRusGasArd” up to 100%. Today, the Minister of Energy confirmed this information.
Nelly BABAYAN
