Under the approved indicative balance, Tajikistan has imported 340,000 tons of petroleum products from Russia over the first six months of this year, which is 41 percent more than in the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR).
A source a MoEWR says Tajikistan has reportedly imported 128,000 tons of gasoline, 175,000 tons of diesel fuel, about 7,000 tons of jet fuel, more than 9,000 of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) as well as bitumen, lubricants and petroleum coke, totaling 21,000 tons, over the reporting period.
It is to be noted that since 2013, more than 90 percent of all petroleum products have been imported into Tajikistan from Russia on concessional terms.
In accordance with amendments made to the government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Russia on petroleum product deliveries to Tajikistan, Tajikistan should provide its proposals on formation of the indicative fuel balances to Russia every year until September 5
Relevant bodies of the two countries should coordinate Tajikistan's internal fuel consumption volumes for the next year and sign indicative balances until October 1.
Besides, Tajikistan should provide information on implementation of indicative balances for nine months and the expected implementation of them during the current calendar year to Russia every year until November 15.
Recall, Tajikistan was exempted from paying Russian tariffs on oil and gas exports from 1995-2010 and Russia cancelled Tajikistan’s tax exemption on May 1, 2010 that resulted in gasoline prices rising in the country.
The agreement on duty-free Russian oil product deliveries to Tajikistan was signed between the governments of Russia and Tajikistan in Moscow on February 6, 2013
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 petroleum products delivered to Tajikistan in the volumes not exceeding those agreed on indicative balance are not subject to re-export to the third countries.
