Tweet
GAZPROM WILL LEAVE ARMENIA
Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 09 April 2015, 23:37
The discussion of the conclusions of the ad hoc committee on gas in
parliament has revealed the entire spectrum of the Armenian-Russian
relations. The "gas issue" is the model of these relations, and
it will be possible to judge about the Armenian-Russian relations
depending on how this issue will be resolved.
The discussion of the gas issue has revealed several important
aspects. As Member of Parliament Hrant Bagratyan says, the population
of Armenia has to buy Russian gas at the highest price in the world
when cheap Iranian gas is under their nose. The answers of the head of
the gas committee Vardan Aivazyan imply that the Armenian government
has not even tried to replace the Russian gas with the Iranian one.
The second aspect is the most important one. As Members of Parliament
Nikol Pashinyan, Edmon Marukyan and others said, the high prices of
gas are determined by the stance of the Armenian government rather
than the requirements of the Russian side. Such phrases as "corruption
scheme", "kickback", "income shared with the regulatory commission"
featured the discussions.
Will the prosecutor general proceed with the allegations of the members
of parliament provided that direct accusations of corruption were
made? Apparently, gas is one of the spheres where the most illegal
arrangements were made, where the Armenian government entered into
a deal with the Russian oligarchy and gained super profits at the
expense of the citizens of Armenia.
The next issue stems from this: the people who are involved in this big
arrangement will do everything to prevent its disclosure. Although it
has been revealed, the society knows everything, this issue will not be
established legally unless the people who signed deals in prejudice of
the society and the sovereignty of the country are in government. They
will try to avoid responsibility but Moscow will hardly have it.
Hence, there is another aspect, the interstate one. It is not
accidental that the gas issue is being discussed now when there is a
need to revise the basis of the Armenian-Russian relations. Although
the conclusions of the committee are mostly positive, and do not state
direct allegations of arrangements, the speeches made in parliament
may serve as good grounds for revision of the deals.
The gas issue has a sacral importance for Armenia. In the result of
the deal between the governments of Armenia and Russia Gazprom has
been the "master" of Armenia for many years. It dictated the rules,
set the prices, funded a lot of informal events and movements.
However, Gazprom is losing its weight in the world, and it is no
longer immune in Armenia either.
The developments in Ukraine started when certain forces in the country
accused the ex-prime minister Yulia Timoshenko of signing a servile
gas deal with Russia. Already some developments relating to that
deal are irreversible. Though the deal formally exists, the people
who have signed it are not in government any more.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/33908
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 09 April 2015, 23:37
The discussion of the conclusions of the ad hoc committee on gas in
parliament has revealed the entire spectrum of the Armenian-Russian
relations. The "gas issue" is the model of these relations, and
it will be possible to judge about the Armenian-Russian relations
depending on how this issue will be resolved.
The discussion of the gas issue has revealed several important
aspects. As Member of Parliament Hrant Bagratyan says, the population
of Armenia has to buy Russian gas at the highest price in the world
when cheap Iranian gas is under their nose. The answers of the head of
the gas committee Vardan Aivazyan imply that the Armenian government
has not even tried to replace the Russian gas with the Iranian one.
The second aspect is the most important one. As Members of Parliament
Nikol Pashinyan, Edmon Marukyan and others said, the high prices of
gas are determined by the stance of the Armenian government rather
than the requirements of the Russian side. Such phrases as "corruption
scheme", "kickback", "income shared with the regulatory commission"
featured the discussions.
Will the prosecutor general proceed with the allegations of the members
of parliament provided that direct accusations of corruption were
made? Apparently, gas is one of the spheres where the most illegal
arrangements were made, where the Armenian government entered into
a deal with the Russian oligarchy and gained super profits at the
expense of the citizens of Armenia.
The next issue stems from this: the people who are involved in this big
arrangement will do everything to prevent its disclosure. Although it
has been revealed, the society knows everything, this issue will not be
established legally unless the people who signed deals in prejudice of
the society and the sovereignty of the country are in government. They
will try to avoid responsibility but Moscow will hardly have it.
Hence, there is another aspect, the interstate one. It is not
accidental that the gas issue is being discussed now when there is a
need to revise the basis of the Armenian-Russian relations. Although
the conclusions of the committee are mostly positive, and do not state
direct allegations of arrangements, the speeches made in parliament
may serve as good grounds for revision of the deals.
The gas issue has a sacral importance for Armenia. In the result of
the deal between the governments of Armenia and Russia Gazprom has
been the "master" of Armenia for many years. It dictated the rules,
set the prices, funded a lot of informal events and movements.
However, Gazprom is losing its weight in the world, and it is no
longer immune in Armenia either.
The developments in Ukraine started when certain forces in the country
accused the ex-prime minister Yulia Timoshenko of signing a servile
gas deal with Russia. Already some developments relating to that
deal are irreversible. Though the deal formally exists, the people
who have signed it are not in government any more.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/33908
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress