Serbia hopes for cheaper Russian natural gas

"If we compared the price of gas in Serbia to that in the region, we would see that only a few nearby countries have higher gas prices than Serbia, but we would also see that the gas price in Austria's free market is around USD 270 for 1,000 cubic metres," she pointed out.

So the free market price is almost half as low as the price Serbia is paying to Russia? Interesting...

Where do the Austrians get gas which they pay $270 as opposed to Serbia having to pay $370 to Russia for? Is the extra $100 the Serb people have to pay being given as kickbacks to the big fish in charge of negotiating such a ridiculaous deal on behalf of all Serbs? This is a disgrace I feel bad for Serbs who cant afford to heat their homes because they are being charged higher prices than wealthy citizens of Western European countries who can much more afford it.The per capita income in Serbia is 10 times lower than Austria but Serbs have to pay more for gas?Russia is no frined here mates.

So the free market price is almost half as low as the price Serbia is paying to Russia? Interesting...
(Comm. Parrisson, 28 January 2013 14:08)

Even 270$ per cubic meter is a high price. In the USA, which will be soon the number one in all energy resources, it is around 120$. Only those who made themselves slaves to Russia pay literally the high price. The rest of the world enjoy a free and very competitive gas market. LNG terminals are the killers of all large pipeline projects.

The day Serbia has retaken Kosovo and got rid of it´s western imposed puppet regime, the gas will be almost free. There is no need nor hurry for Russia to encourage the incumbent regime and it´s masters anti-Russian politics....
(Time is on our side, 28 January 2013 17:10)

With other words, Russia punishes the Serbian people with high gas prices, because (allegedly) the government in Belgrade is not Pro-Russian enough. Did I get this right? Ok, exactly what we already knew and those numbers confirm it. Thank you for your openness..

I feel bad for Serbs. What happened to Slavic brotherhood?

I find that currently it is too expensive to run my home on gas. Even with a 10% discount I cannot see me heating and cooking on gas for the foreseeable future. Srbija Gas needs to be privatised and other companies should be allowed to compete for business. This is the only way for prices to come down and make natural gas an attractive energy source.

The day Serbia has retaken Kosovo and got rid of it´s western imposed puppet regime, the gas will be almost free. There is no need nor hurry for Russia to encourage the incumbent regime and it´s masters anti-Russian politics....

Kremlin feens charging in US dollars tell them this is Serbia [link] dinars rule in Serbia 475 dinars that is it take it or leave it. Serbia is not Belorusia or Ukraine to bow down heck no Serbian politicians make enough natural gas to power all of Serbia.
(Lenard, 28 January 2013 12:58)

That's a good one Lenard, you are funnier than Bam Bam and roberto together.

This is a common problem in monopolized markets. Serbia has to break the monopoly and create competition for Gazprom. If sj agrees with this of course.
(Reader, 28 January 2013 19:50)

And with which company can Serbia counter Gazprom? NIS belongs to the Russians so it is impossible to use it against them. But even if Serbia would have a company, they can't oppose Russia. Look over to Ukraine where the so-called Pro-Russian president got a 7bn bill after getting closer to Shell in order to counter the Russian monopoly.

Moscow gives a damn about the love you send to them. You pay the bill, no matter if the price is twice, thrice or ten times higher than the free market. Austria proves that clearly and Serbia has even less to say since the (useless) Njet in the UNSC in reference to Kosovo comes for a high price as well. In fact, Russia is an excellent position to rape Serbia to the bones while Belgrade has to smile.

Fact: I am paying about HUF 90000 (that's it, 300 Euro) / month at average to heat my house (150 qm). This is just slightly less than the average teacher salary / month.

Everyone should pay attention and read what the lady said Serbian gas being only slightly cheaper than some of the countries in region (guess, what country she had in mind?) and keep in mind, what country the gas going through.

Before cursing (with right!) some parasites in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Serbia we should maybe look at the most expensive and weakest chain of the transit countries.... and write a "thank you" letter to our beloved boys from Dohány Street (Dohány utcai fiúk) - they have their dirty business deeply inside of gas and if you can, just boycot MOL. At least you can - here we can't.

Because despite E.U. and all rosy things it does bring with it... MOL is a monopoly, worse than Serbijagas.

Kremlin feens charging in US dollars tell them this is Serbia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Prc1UfuokY dinars rule in Serbia 475 dinars that is it take it or leave it. Serbia is not Belorusia or Ukraine to bow down heck no Serbian politicians make enough natural gas to power all of Serbia.

"If we compared the price of gas in Serbia to that in the region, we would see that only a few nearby countries have higher gas prices than Serbia, but we would also see that the gas price in Austria's free market is around USD 270 for 1,000 cubic metres," she pointed out.

Well, when it comes to business and making money, the 'good relations with Russia' seem not to be very helpful, with a gas price for Serbia almost twice as high as on the Austrian free market. It's a general problem: The gas contracts with Russia are often bound to the crude oil price, while on the free market, gas is much cheaper and detached from the oil price since some years (since the USA don't need imports any more).

I totally agree with t.i.o.o.s above on that one!

If there ever was a honeymoon between Serbia and the west that honeymoon is certainly over.

But there never was! Serbia was bombed raped and abused since day one and like a victim of such being held in a basement by it´s perpetrator, Serbia has to break free and start the brainwashing reprogramming process. There are currently over 1.800 western NGO´s keeping Serbia firmly in check, start with the regime and demand those NGO´s to registrate themselves for what they are: Foreign agents!

This is a common problem in monopolized markets. Serbia has to break the monopoly and create competition for Gazprom. If sj agrees with this of course.

There are currently over 1.800 western NGO´s keeping Serbia firmly in check, start with the regime and demand those NGO´s to registrate themselves for what they are: Foreign agents!
(br, 29 January 2013 11:04)


br,

If those NGO's were to leave Serbia, you would find that Serbia would become a third world country, overnight, similar to Haiti. Be careful what you wish for.

(T, 28 January 2013 11:50)
I find it interesting you say that, as so far all we have heard was how once the pipeline came through then Serbia would cut off the gas flow to Kosovo and show them who is boss. I felt it would be decades before Kosovo could afford to switch over to any meaningful dependence on natural gas. I guess I am right and any hope of a noose by Serbs is pure folly.

What's the problem. Just pospone the South Stream Project, and next day you will see Putin knocking your door with $200 per 1000 kub. meters offer.

"Srbija Gas needs to be privatised and other companies should be allowed to compete for business. This is the only way for prices to come down and make natural gas an attractive energy source."

Didn't this concept brutally fail in other countries?

Natural Gas is cheap in the US because they have massive reserves, and have invested in Fracking. Serbia does not have the reserves or the customer base and is forced to pay a high price. I think the Russians might want to cut a better deal, to gain better relations and interests in the Balkans.

At the same time they have to do what is best for Russia's interests. Russia is not a charity organization, they are running their gas business in a way that is making a lot of money, and strengthening Russia.

If Russia went broke because of poor economic management, as it did under Yeltsin, Serbia and all of eastern Europe would be much worse off.

Didn't this concept brutally fail in other countries?
(Fikret, 28 January 2013 19:33)
==============================
Privatisation of all the utilities was certainly the worst thing here for us in Australia.
Now we are all paying through the nose.

Indeed, everybody knows this,it´s a fact.

If the unpopular western imposed regime want to stick to their slavophobic western overlords every whim, they have to play by the rules and those rules are regulated by the neo-liberal so called "market". Western standards & fair play in other words.

The incumbent puppet-regime can´t expect to get price reduction for nothing and especially not for doing the anglo-american dirty work in the region. If Serbs want to restore their good traditional and brotherly relations with Russia and every opinion shows that they certainly do, they have to make a decision. It has now been 20 years since the west bombed Serbia into submission, the western brain-washing can´t go on for ever...

"Before cursing (with right!) some parasites in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Serbia..."

Haha Ataman that is priceless, downplaying this screw up to *some* parasites. It is not just some parasites. It is Gazprom, the alpha and the omega in Russia and in the whole world. At least according to what sj tells us. Don't downplay this to just some bad apples in the bunch. These are the most powerful people in Russia.

Seriously, they (the Russians) are not parasites and they are not doing anything wrong, their job is to make money and money they are making, just doing what they were placed there to do, their job. I am sure there is a document somewhere that defines the policy of the Russian Government/Gazprom. And I am sure in that document there is something along the lines of "maximize profits from gas and reinvest those profits in different strategic areas of the Russian economy, state, army, society" etc etc. Serbia should be proud for helping Russia. Hope Kostunica comes back to power, he will buy gas at $1000.

Kremlin feens charging in US dollars tell them this is Serbia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Prc1UfuokY dinars rule in Serbia 475 dinars that is it take it or leave it. Serbia is not Belorusia or Ukraine to bow down heck no Serbian politicians make enough natural gas to power all of Serbia.

The day Serbia has retaken Kosovo and got rid of it´s western imposed puppet regime, the gas will be almost free. There is no need nor hurry for Russia to encourage the incumbent regime and it´s masters anti-Russian politics....

What's the problem. Just pospone the South Stream Project, and next day you will see Putin knocking your door with $200 per 1000 kub. meters offer.

I find that currently it is too expensive to run my home on gas. Even with a 10% discount I cannot see me heating and cooking on gas for the foreseeable future. Srbija Gas needs to be privatised and other companies should be allowed to compete for business. This is the only way for prices to come down and make natural gas an attractive energy source.

There are currently over 1.800 western NGO´s keeping Serbia firmly in check, start with the regime and demand those NGO´s to registrate themselves for what they are: Foreign agents!
(br, 29 January 2013 11:04)


br,

If those NGO's were to leave Serbia, you would find that Serbia would become a third world country, overnight, similar to Haiti. Be careful what you wish for.

(T, 28 January 2013 11:50)
I find it interesting you say that, as so far all we have heard was how once the pipeline came through then Serbia would cut off the gas flow to Kosovo and show them who is boss. I felt it would be decades before Kosovo could afford to switch over to any meaningful dependence on natural gas. I guess I am right and any hope of a noose by Serbs is pure folly.

Kremlin feens charging in US dollars tell them this is Serbia [link] dinars rule in Serbia 475 dinars that is it take it or leave it. Serbia is not Belorusia or Ukraine to bow down heck no Serbian politicians make enough natural gas to power all of Serbia.
(Lenard, 28 January 2013 12:58)

That's a good one Lenard, you are funnier than Bam Bam and roberto together.

This is a common problem in monopolized markets. Serbia has to break the monopoly and create competition for Gazprom. If sj agrees with this of course.
(Reader, 28 January 2013 19:50)

And with which company can Serbia counter Gazprom? NIS belongs to the Russians so it is impossible to use it against them. But even if Serbia would have a company, they can't oppose Russia. Look over to Ukraine where the so-called Pro-Russian president got a 7bn bill after getting closer to Shell in order to counter the Russian monopoly.

Moscow gives a damn about the love you send to them. You pay the bill, no matter if the price is twice, thrice or ten times higher than the free market. Austria proves that clearly and Serbia has even less to say since the (useless) Njet in the UNSC in reference to Kosovo comes for a high price as well. In fact, Russia is an excellent position to rape Serbia to the bones while Belgrade has to smile.

I feel bad for Serbs. What happened to Slavic brotherhood?

"If we compared the price of gas in Serbia to that in the region, we would see that only a few nearby countries have higher gas prices than Serbia, but we would also see that the gas price in Austria's free market is around USD 270 for 1,000 cubic metres," she pointed out.

So the free market price is almost half as low as the price Serbia is paying to Russia? Interesting...

"Srbija Gas needs to be privatised and other companies should be allowed to compete for business. This is the only way for prices to come down and make natural gas an attractive energy source."

Didn't this concept brutally fail in other countries?

This is a common problem in monopolized markets. Serbia has to break the monopoly and create competition for Gazprom. If sj agrees with this of course.

The day Serbia has retaken Kosovo and got rid of it´s western imposed puppet regime, the gas will be almost free. There is no need nor hurry for Russia to encourage the incumbent regime and it´s masters anti-Russian politics....
(Time is on our side, 28 January 2013 17:10)

With other words, Russia punishes the Serbian people with high gas prices, because (allegedly) the government in Belgrade is not Pro-Russian enough. Did I get this right? Ok, exactly what we already knew and those numbers confirm it. Thank you for your openness..

Fact: I am paying about HUF 90000 (that's it, 300 Euro) / month at average to heat my house (150 qm). This is just slightly less than the average teacher salary / month.

Everyone should pay attention and read what the lady said Serbian gas being only slightly cheaper than some of the countries in region (guess, what country she had in mind?) and keep in mind, what country the gas going through.

Before cursing (with right!) some parasites in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Serbia we should maybe look at the most expensive and weakest chain of the transit countries.... and write a "thank you" letter to our beloved boys from Dohány Street (Dohány utcai fiúk) - they have their dirty business deeply inside of gas and if you can, just boycot MOL. At least you can - here we can't.

Because despite E.U. and all rosy things it does bring with it... MOL is a monopoly, worse than Serbijagas.

So the free market price is almost half as low as the price Serbia is paying to Russia? Interesting...
(Comm. Parrisson, 28 January 2013 14:08)

Even 270$ per cubic meter is a high price. In the USA, which will be soon the number one in all energy resources, it is around 120$. Only those who made themselves slaves to Russia pay literally the high price. The rest of the world enjoy a free and very competitive gas market. LNG terminals are the killers of all large pipeline projects.

"Before cursing (with right!) some parasites in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Serbia..."

Haha Ataman that is priceless, downplaying this screw up to *some* parasites. It is not just some parasites. It is Gazprom, the alpha and the omega in Russia and in the whole world. At least according to what sj tells us. Don't downplay this to just some bad apples in the bunch. These are the most powerful people in Russia.

Seriously, they (the Russians) are not parasites and they are not doing anything wrong, their job is to make money and money they are making, just doing what they were placed there to do, their job. I am sure there is a document somewhere that defines the policy of the Russian Government/Gazprom. And I am sure in that document there is something along the lines of "maximize profits from gas and reinvest those profits in different strategic areas of the Russian economy, state, army, society" etc etc. Serbia should be proud for helping Russia. Hope Kostunica comes back to power, he will buy gas at $1000.

Natural Gas is cheap in the US because they have massive reserves, and have invested in Fracking. Serbia does not have the reserves or the customer base and is forced to pay a high price. I think the Russians might want to cut a better deal, to gain better relations and interests in the Balkans.

At the same time they have to do what is best for Russia's interests. Russia is not a charity organization, they are running their gas business in a way that is making a lot of money, and strengthening Russia.

If Russia went broke because of poor economic management, as it did under Yeltsin, Serbia and all of eastern Europe would be much worse off.

I totally agree with t.i.o.o.s above on that one!

If there ever was a honeymoon between Serbia and the west that honeymoon is certainly over.

But there never was! Serbia was bombed raped and abused since day one and like a victim of such being held in a basement by it´s perpetrator, Serbia has to break free and start the brainwashing reprogramming process. There are currently over 1.800 western NGO´s keeping Serbia firmly in check, start with the regime and demand those NGO´s to registrate themselves for what they are: Foreign agents!

"If we compared the price of gas in Serbia to that in the region, we would see that only a few nearby countries have higher gas prices than Serbia, but we would also see that the gas price in Austria's free market is around USD 270 for 1,000 cubic metres," she pointed out.

Well, when it comes to business and making money, the 'good relations with Russia' seem not to be very helpful, with a gas price for Serbia almost twice as high as on the Austrian free market. It's a general problem: The gas contracts with Russia are often bound to the crude oil price, while on the free market, gas is much cheaper and detached from the oil price since some years (since the USA don't need imports any more).

Indeed, everybody knows this,it´s a fact.

If the unpopular western imposed regime want to stick to their slavophobic western overlords every whim, they have to play by the rules and those rules are regulated by the neo-liberal so called "market". Western standards & fair play in other words.

The incumbent puppet-regime can´t expect to get price reduction for nothing and especially not for doing the anglo-american dirty work in the region. If Serbs want to restore their good traditional and brotherly relations with Russia and every opinion shows that they certainly do, they have to make a decision. It has now been 20 years since the west bombed Serbia into submission, the western brain-washing can´t go on for ever...

Didn't this concept brutally fail in other countries?
(Fikret, 28 January 2013 19:33)
==============================
Privatisation of all the utilities was certainly the worst thing here for us in Australia.
Now we are all paying through the nose.

Where do the Austrians get gas which they pay $270 as opposed to Serbia having to pay $370 to Russia for? Is the extra $100 the Serb people have to pay being given as kickbacks to the big fish in charge of negotiating such a ridiculaous deal on behalf of all Serbs? This is a disgrace I feel bad for Serbs who cant afford to heat their homes because they are being charged higher prices than wealthy citizens of Western European countries who can much more afford it.The per capita income in Serbia is 10 times lower than Austria but Serbs have to pay more for gas?Russia is no frined here mates.