OREANDA-NEWS. November 26, 2009. President Victor Yushchenko is convinced that Ukraine needs to raise the gas transit tariffs across its territory to European consumers, he said today during a press conference in Pryluky, reported the Official website president.gov.ua.

"We must move to exclusively market pricing for transit o of Russian gas through Ukraine", he said. According to his calculations, the application of appropriate formulas used in relations with other European countries, the tariff rate would increase from US1.7 to US 4.5 - 5.5 per thousand cubic meters per 100 km.

The President believes that the increasing the tariff to rates already charged by Slovakia, Austria or Germany, would resolve the problem of bringing Naftogaz of Ukraine out of the difficult financial situation. "If in 2009 the Prime Minister signed the tariff, which is charged, for example, by Slovakia, Naftogaz of Ukraine would have had additional income of US 2.5 billion", he said, adding that this mony would be enough to cover annual budget deficit of the SJSC.

According to President’s prognosis the talks about Russian loan to cover payments for the consumed gas would soon begin again, and the next question would be the bankruptcy of Naftogaz Ukraine with the transfer of its assets, particularly the gas transit system to the creditor.
"In January 2009 only the President was saying: come to your senses because you propose the path that leads to loss of the national gas transit system. My warning remains effective until today", said Victor Yushchenko.