YEREVAN. - The growing gas prices in Armenia are conditioned with a number of economic factors, said the advisor to the head of State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition Artak Sahakyan.

In conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter, Sahakyan disclosed the findings of monitoring conducted recently. He noted that the data received from several entities involved in gas import revealed no abuses or law trespasses.

“Former high prices were result of a number of economic factors: purchase prices for diesel, changes in tax laws, and some others. Earlier these entities sold gas purchased long ago, and that gas was relatively cheap. However, the gas that is sold now, has been purchased recently at higher prices,” said Sahakyan.

He added that gas and diesel are out of fixed taxation field and are levied in general tax field.

“There is a set sequence which implies that previously purchased gas is sold first, only after that recently purchased gas can be sold. Thus, if previously purchased gas has been more expensive, it is sold at higher rates despite a price decline in the oil market,” said Sahakyan commenting upon price discrepancies in oil-gas ratio. 

He mentioned that Russian embargo on gas export is another reasons for price growth in Armenia. According to Sahakyan, embargo led to increased gas demand in the Eastern European countries, while Armenia itself imports gas from Eastern Europe.

“We always observe the processes. In case we register further increase entailing new risks we will again require that business entities and customs authorities provide us more data,” said Sahakyan.