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Who Benefits from Belarus- Russia Energy and Trade Wars

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Who Benefits from Belarus- Russia Energy and Trade Wars Vilnius, Lithuania Issue 1(11), February 2010 WHEN IT STARTS TO GO OVER THE TOP Energy disputes between Russia and the transit is determined by these results. Siarhei Nikoliuk countries traditionally mark the end or beginning in his article refers to the Belarusian authorities’ of each year. A pretty quiet settlement of gas and oil capacity to meet its social obligations even under supplies between Russia and Ukraine in November- the circumstances of the crisis. Certainly, it happens December 2009 has partly increased the attention not without Russia’s indirect support. to Belarus. Whereas negotiations on gas provision When it comes to the bilateral energy rows between are still continuing, Russia and Belarus have finally agreed on the conditions of oil supply on 27 Janu- Russia and Belarus, it is worth asking which side ary 2010. Each side presented the outcomes of ‘oil has already started to go over the top. Russia would negotiations’, accompanied by quite rough rhetoric, risk supporting an even more questionable ally as a victory. Yaroslav Romanchuk’s contribution taking every chance to blackmail it. Belarus in turn analyzes who in fact benefits from energy and trade would end up in the inability to carry out its social disputes between Russia and Belarus. obligations which every personalist regime is based upon. Given new Russia’s energy transportation The results of negotiations on the supply of energy projects and Presidential elections in Belarus, the resources have an immense effect on Belarusian situation in the closest European neighbourhood economy. Not only the prices in the internal mar- ket are affected, but also the amount of budget becomes even more challenging. devoted to increase pensions and social benefits Julija Narkeviciute, Editor WHO BENEFITS FROM BELarus- RUSSIA ENERGY AND TRADE WARS Yaroslav Romanchuk, AC Strategy Belarus, just as the other operators of the energy In a fair and honest system the strong protect the market, made big fortunes, but the ordinary people weaker ones. In Belarus, helping the weak means also got their rake-off. ensuring low prices on food, utility services, fuel, The partners, i.e. the leadership of Russia and Bela- transport and medicine. Helping the weak is giving rus, were mostly on good terms. Once in a while we CONTENTS them the right to choose goods and services of the observed fits of anger and exchange of ‘hot’ words. best, from their viewpoint, quality-price ratio. In a temper, they remembered the great patriotic For the last fifteen years the Russian leadership war, the air defence and the orthodox brotherhood WHO BENEFITS constantly supplied Belarus with gas, oil and electric of the eastern Slavs. However, nothing united the FROM BELarus- energy at the price far below the world average. officials, oligarchs and politicians of both countries RUSSIA ENERGY Furthermore, the terms of supply were more than more than sharing the energy rent. Meanwhile, a AND TRADE WARS favourable. Belarus was an ‘oil offshore’ and a ‘gas great deal of the money was to get into the budget Yaroslav Romanchuk, Mecca’ since the gas was so cheap that we could of both countries to ensure price reduction for AC Strategy simply ignore the costs. consumers. For many years the sharing went on well. No excesses happened. The oil boom has 1 The cheap Russian energy resources let the Belaru- become the direct and indirect source for dozens sian leadership to protect the weak. The electricity of thousands multimillion and even billion strong and utility services rates were extremely low for a PRISONER OF SOCIAL fortunes, primarily, in Russia. OBLIGATIONS long time. Selling oil products to Europe helped to stabilize the Belarusian rouble, fill the budget gap Oil and gas markets are not like selling coffee or Big Sergei Nikoliuk, and raise pensions and salaries. That was the real Macs. The entry is strictly controlled at the very top political scientist support for the people of modest means and low of the government. There are no accidental people 3 income. No doubt, the oil barons of Russia and here. The lists of those allowed to make big money 1 1 (11), February 2010 are discussed longer than the country’s budget or It would not mind buying the attractive Belarusian If the government monetary and fiscal policy. Recently the Kremlin assets through the friendly commercial structures was so kind to tell us the names of the Belarusian and, finally, secure free competition with the Be- cared about the oil ‘heroes’. These are Yury Chizh and his structures, larusian goods in our home market. Obviously, consumers, the Nikolai Vorobey, Anatoly Ternavskiy, Vladimir according to the Russian rules and standards. Bryntsalov, Mikhail Gutsiriyev, and the Bazhanovs. The recent oil dispute which the Belarusian au- ordinary people, They can be considered the first citizens of the thorities entered was also aimed at defending the Union State. They make full use of this amorphous it would by all interests of the local oil barons and not defending legal formation, which purpose is still not clear for the principles of the common market. Since officials means support open the ordinary people. in the President’s office and heads of ministries competition, the Among the oil ‘barons’ we can also name CEOs are very well aware that there is no trade freedom and government supervisors of Belarusian Oil between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Russian producers Company, PO Belorusneft, Naftan, and Mozyr oil Federation. After all it was them who approved the refinery plant. These are a few hundred people from quotas for domestic goods in the retail trade (90% included. commercial, administrative and security depart- foods and 80% non-foods). It is them who hamper ments. Namely they make oil refinement in a current import by various means: restrictions on currency tax and administrative environment formally close purchase, certificates, or special conditions of com- to ‘unprofitable’, meanwhile the ‘cream’ of the oil mercial tenders. schemes, including the ‘black’ ones, accumulates If the government cared about the consumers, the far beyond the borders of Russia and Belarus. ordinary people, it would by all means support open The ‘barons’ used the union state and the customs competition, the Russian producers included. It union as a political cover or a ‘legend’. The legend would have never pushed to such a conflict when made it possible to keep a significant difference both representatives of states are directly blackmailing between the oil price for Belarus and at the world each other. Even though A. Lukashenka managed market, between the oil export duty for Belarus and to get easy conditions of energy resource supplies the rest of the world. ‘Integration’ has become an in the past, he should have known the limits. Just ideologeme of the energy projects. A. Lukashenka, push over the top – and you’ll get an emotional with all his political and PR talents, would not and ruthless response. have been able to support it all by himself, without The Kremlin today is not the same as it was in early active participation of his Russian lobbyists (the 2000’s. The golden age for privatization of Belarusian military, some oil barons, the Russian Orthodox assets is gone. It’s in 2007 – early 2008 one could Church, and the supporters of the return of the still ask for billions of dollars for selling a control Soviet Empire). stock of a Belarusian oil refinery plant. Today, when They all knew that the above mentioned integra- Russia is building roundabout transit channels (the tion projects do not contribute to the freedom very decision of the Russian leadership is a strategic of movement of goods, services, money and the failure of the official Minsk), when the crisis puts workforce to grow. Non-tariff restrictions, budget severe limits on budget manoeuvring, when nega- subsidies, special prices for raw materials, soft loans tive feelings between Russian and Belarus’s leaders for certain exporters, quotas and special certifica- run high, demanding from the Kremlin to keep the tion treatment – all these measures applied by both status quo of 2003-2008, i.e. subsidize the Belarusian countries doom not only the customs union but economy, means going over the top. even the free trade zone. However, the supporters A. Lukashenka refused to accept the grant of about of real freedom in trade relations between Russia $1.8 billion (~4% of GDP), demanding almost four and Belarus did not have enough lobby power times more, i.e. about 20% of GDP. He is ready to to withstand the vigour of energy lobbyists from sell the oil refinery enterprises only for the ‘old price’, both sides. Obviously, they were dividing not the and with 22 conditions to top it all. Obviously, he modest budget doughnut of Belarus, but the huge ignores the fact that the Belarusian oil industry resource pie of Russia. costs only a thin dime and the transit oil lines to The recent oil ‘war’ was a commercial conflict to a Europe turn into a piece of a rusting pipe without large extent. The oil barons and oligarchs of both the Russian oil. countries were no longer happy with the rules of Having got into the trap of own mistakes, the Bela- sharing the oil pie. The Russian oil barons and their rusian rulers try to blackmail the Kremlin with high supervisors decided they want the bigger part of tariffs on oil transit. All of a sudden they attached the oil rent, ownership of Belarusian oil refinery tariffs on electric power transit to Lithuania and plants and complete control over the transit of Kaliningrad region to the oil negotiations. One never their oil, gas and electric power to Europe.
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