OREANDA-NEWS. February 21, 2008.In 2008 gas price will not increase for Belarus, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky told reporters on February 21.

“In accordance with the agreement, in 2007 the price was at the level of $100 per 1,000 cubic meters. An increase this year made up 19% and we are confident the price will not increase by the end of the year,” the Prime Minister said.

Yet, the price is calculated on the basis of a formula while the formula depends on the trends on international market. “Yesterday the oil price crossed the line of $100pbl. Therefore our partners will be pushing on another position. However, the heads of state Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin have agreed that the price for Belarus will remain unchanged at the level of $119 in 2008, Sergei Sidorsky stressed. Naturally Belarus will keep the transit rates at the level which was agreed. Beltransgaz and Gazprom are now working on these issues, the Prime minister said.