OREANDA-NEWS. Ministry of economic development and trade of RF (MEDT) is considering possible introduction of differentiation of mining tax at 2009, Veles Capital reports with reference to vice minister of the body Kirill Androsov. Androsov said: "Now
we work not to increase mining tax, rather installing differentiation for it." According to the vice minister, they still cannot decide on the criteria for differentiation of gas mining tax, as it is more complex than the one for the oil industry. According to Veles Capital experts, introduction of the differentiation means nothing but increase of the mining tax for a larger share of gas deposits base, as the minimal tax rate is most likely to correspond the current one.

Androsov has noted that in 2007 and second half of 2008, offers on stimulating investments into development of new gas deposits will be examined, and if accepted, then starting with 2009 a differentiation of the tax will be set in motion. However, in the view of experts, until 2011 the differentiation of the tax will not be installed, as the program of increase of the gas price for domestic consumers up to European prices would be implemented right to that date, and Gazprom will lobby for a delay decision on the tax differentiation.