YEREVAN. - Armenia will have no problems with gas consumption, Armenian PM Karen Karapetyan said in the parliament on Wednesday, responding to the question of Secretary of Armenian National Congress (ANC), Aram Manukyan.

The latter noted that regardless of the low prices fixed by the state, people continue leaving the country, the Government being unable to control this. ''And what about the concessions made by the Russian company? Are they non-reciprocal?  What will they require from us instead? There ain't no such thing as a free lunch,'' Manukyan said.

Karapetyan assured that the republic has no systemic problems with gas consumption. He recalled that it was possible to lower the gas prices thanks to new and more favorable conditions of Russian gas transit via Georgia, as well as reduction of payment of interest on credit, optimization of expenses and secondary reaction from market. According to him, the more the oil price drops, the more it is used. Consequently, the more are the incomes, this allowing to better cover the constant expenditures of the system.

Referring to Georgia, the PM said it takes 10 percent of the gas from the first 1 billion cubic meters for transit. It also takes money for the rest, but in less amounts than 10 percent gas. Overall, the consumption growth should compensate the drop of tariffs. The Russian Gazprom company has taken the risk in case of possible losses, meeting the Armenian side halfway.