Epress.am News from Armenia
It has become clear from recent government statements and forced confessions that Armenia's authorities, since 2011, have hidden the fact that the actual price of gas imported from Russia increased in Armenia, the Armenian National Congress (HAK) remarked in a statement issued on Wednesday, adding that the authorities are now trying to justify this fact by saying that allegedly, during the entire time, they were also in negotiations with Russia over the price of gas.
"The excuses are pathetic, since during that time, the wholesale gas supply price changed twice, increased, becoming first $240 then $280 for 1000 cubic meters.
"The increase in the price of gas was kept secret from not only the public, but also the National Assembly. The government didn't even hold back from the blatant violations of the 2011, 2012, and 2013 laws on the state budget and without a National Assembly decision, secretly accrued a state debt, which at this moment is more than $300 million.
"After all these price increases […] the wholesale price of Russian gas has decreased, becoming $189 for 1000 cubic meters; that is, only $9 more than the original price, on which the country’s [Armenia’s] wholesale price was calculated until the last price increase. There have been no other changes to the mechanisms of pricing, but the price of gas for consumers (for 1000 cubic meters) for some unknown reason was raised by $60.
"Armenia's authorities have grossly violated also the RA Law on Privatization of State Property. Without making changes to the section on earnings in the law on the [state] budget, the sale of ArmRosGazprom's 20% state share to the Russian Gazprom company is chosen as the means of repaying the illegally accumulated foreign debt. That is a gross violation of the law, since that 20% share of the state is not included in the privatization program. The Armenian National Congress back in October 2012 announced in the National Assembly that the government made a secretive and unlawful decision on the sale of that share, which at that time this same government refuted, while now, aha, it is confirmed with facts and documents. Thus, another shameful fact of the regime's crime is before us," reads the HAK statement.
HAK declares that on the basis of this, as well as other violations, according to Article 84 of the Armenian Constitution, it is preparing to launch a motion of no confidence against the government in the upcoming parliamentary session.
HAK urges other non-ruling political parties in parliament to join this initiative and for non-parliamentary parties to support and publicly defend it.