Gas price outcome still uncertain

The increase in gas prices is still a heated issue in Serbia, with no clear answer from the government in sight. The government has advised Srbijagas to divide gas bills for Serbian customers into two parts. Gas price outcome still uncertain The government has called on the Energy Ministry to reach an agreement with Gazprom to eliminate the go-between company in the supply of imported gas from Russia. The League of Vojvodina Social Democrats, which initiated the gas scandal, is satisfied with the government’s response and believes that the decision to cut out the middleman will help keep gas prices at respectable levels. Aleksandra Jerkov said that it was exceptionally important for the government to look into the commission that companies were receiving, and to lower those commissions to consumers’ actual expenses. “That does not mean that bills in May or during the summer will be higher, because once the commission is subtracted, there will be no need for large bills, so the bills in May and in the summer will be the same, and they won’t be increased by the figure that was the difference in the winter period,” she explained. Dinkic denies LDP accusations Deputy Prime Minister Mladjan Dinkic has rebuffed LDP accusations that he was involved in the formation of a detrimental agreement to import gas from Russia. He called on Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Cedomir Jovanovic to make public the documents that allegedly substantiate his claims. Dinkic told B92 that his name was definitely not on the contentious documents, adding that the least he expected from Jovanovic was a public apology. Even though Dinkic was a member of the government at the time, the decision to use a middleman in the deal was signed by former Srbijagas director Milos Milankovic, who came to the position as a member of the G17 Plus party that Dinkic now leads. Dinkic claims that he has not dealt with energy related issues until now. “I expect two things from Mr. Jovanovic. To show the public the report that allegedly contains my name, and when it is established that my name is not there, to publicly apologize to me,” Dinkic said. “I think he is doing a good thing by insisting that the public know the truth. And he is right there, you should know the truth. But he should not be trying to set people up who never had anything to do with it,” Dinkic said. Jovanovic told B92 earlier that he had handed the state prosecutor transcripts of Jugorosgas meetings held in Moscow and Serbia that clearly show that a number of state institutions drastically undermined the state with their inactivity. He claimed that the former prime minister and other government officials were well aware of the damage being done by allowing the Russian to have a majority stake in Jugorosgas and involving a broker, moves thath have cost the tax payer millions in commission over the years. Jovanovic identified former Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica as a key player in the scandal, as well as then Finance Minister Dinkic, and former G17 Plus leader Miroljub Labus.

Gas price outcome still uncertain

The government has called on the Energy Ministry to reach an agreement with Gazprom to eliminate the go-between company in the supply of imported gas from Russia.

The League of Vojvodina Social Democrats, which initiated the gas scandal, is satisfied with the government’s response and believes that the decision to cut out the middleman will help keep gas prices at respectable levels.

Aleksandra Jerkov said that it was exceptionally important for the government to look into the commission that companies were receiving, and to lower those commissions to consumers’ actual expenses.

“That does not mean that bills in May or during the summer will be higher, because once the commission is subtracted, there will be no need for large bills, so the bills in May and in the summer will be the same, and they won’t be increased by the figure that was the difference in the winter period,” she explained.

Dinkić denies LDP accusations

Deputy Prime Minister Mlađan Dinkić has rebuffed LDP accusations that he was involved in the formation of a detrimental agreement to import gas from Russia.

He called on Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Čedomir Jovanović to make public the documents that allegedly substantiate his claims.

Dinkić told B92 that his name was definitely not on the contentious documents, adding that the least he expected from Jovanović was a public apology.

Even though Dinkić was a member of the government at the time, the decision to use a middleman in the deal was signed by former Srbijagas director Miloš Milanković, who came to the position as a member of the G17 Plus party that Dinkić now leads.

Dinkić claims that he has not dealt with energy related issues until now.

“I expect two things from Mr. Jovanović. To show the public the report that allegedly contains my name, and when it is established that my name is not there, to publicly apologize to me,” Dinkić said.

“I think he is doing a good thing by insisting that the public know the truth. And he is right there, you should know the truth. But he should not be trying to set people up who never had anything to do with it,” Dinkić said.

Jovanović told B92 earlier that he had handed the state prosecutor transcripts of Jugorosgas meetings held in Moscow and Serbia that clearly show that a number of state institutions drastically undermined the state with their inactivity.

He claimed that the former prime minister and other government officials were well aware of the damage being done by allowing the Russian to have a majority stake in Jugorosgas and involving a broker, moves thath have cost the tax payer millions in commission over the years.

Jovanović identified former Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica as a key player in the scandal, as well as then Finance Minister Dinkić, and former G17 Plus leader Miroljub Labus.