DUSHANBE, February 8, 2013, Asia-Plus — A government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan on the duty-free delivery of Russian oil products to Tajikistan that was signed n Moscow on February 6 will take effect upon its ratification by the parliaments of both countries, according to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).
An official source at a MoEI says duty-free Russian fuel deliveries to Tajikistan may start no earlier than March.
According to him, Tajikistan’s annual requirements in oil products, including liquefied gas, are 1.6 million tons.
Since under the indicative fuel balance endorsed for 2013, Russia will deliver one million tons of oil products, with 50 percent of them being gasoline, free of duty to Tajikistan this year, the remaining 600,000 tons will be delivered to Tajikistan from other countries, the source noted.
“As far as prices for gasoline and other oil products are concerned, they may fall 15 percent,” said the source. “If current price for one liter of 95-octane gasoline in Dushanbe is 6.70 somoni, it may drop by 1.00 somoni.”
We will recall that Tajik Minister of Energy and Industries Gul Sherali and Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak inked the agreement on the duty-free delivery of Russian oil products to Tajikistan in Moscow on February 6.
Under this agreement, the sides consider and endorse the indicative fuel balance for the next calendar before October 1 of each year. Fuels delivered in addition to the indicative fuel balance will be liable to export duty.
Russian oil products delivered to Tajikistan in the volumes not exceeding those agreed on indicative balance are not subject to re-export to the third countries. This ban also applies to Russian oil products delivered to Tajikistan from other member nations of the Customs Union.
