Haykakan Zhamanak: Gas prices may surge in 2018

Gazprom Armenia’s investment program for 2017-2020 reportedly reveals a plan for increasing the consumer prices.

Citing the document published yesterday by the Public Services Regulatory Commission, the paper says that the company envisaged investments worth 13.6 billion Armenian Drams for 2017 (AMD 480 = USD 1). The sum is thought to be part of the estimated tariff.

But the consumer prices were reduced after the company’s former CEO, Karen Karapetyan, was appointed prime minister. The new program, however, envisages investments worth AMD 35 billion.

However, the estimated investment for 2018 are essentially higher, AMD 18 billion, which is again to be included in the tarriff. The prices are thus thought to have been adjusted to the program in what the paper calls a politically motivated decision.