The Russian government will not extend the agreement on control of fuel prices, the newspaper Vedomosti writes with reference to four employees of various oil companies and two federal officials.
In the spring of 2018, the situation with fuel prices escalated in Russia; against the backdrop of their growth, the government agreed with oil companies to contain prices. From November 1, agreements between companies with the Federal Antimonopoly Service and the Ministry of Energy on the stabilization of the fuel market began, which envisage an increase in wholesale prices by 4-4,6% during the year and retail prices within the forecast average annual inflation of 4,6% (excluding an increase of 1,7 , 2019% in retail since January XNUMX due to an increase in VAT). In March, authorities decided to extend the agreements until the end of June.
According to the publication, the decision not to extend the agreement was made at a meeting with the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak with the oil industry on June 17. Nevertheless, the parties verbally agreed that the increase in prices in the small wholesale market and at gas stations would not exceed inflation, two oil company employees told the newspaper and the official confirmed. At the same time, the interlocutors of the publication did not say what would happen if the oil workers violated the agreement.
Representatives of the Ministry of Energy and the Federal Antimonopoly Service did not answer the newspaper’s questions. Representatives of Rosneft, Lukoil, Gazprom Neft, Surgutneftegaz and Tatneft did not answer the questions of the publication.