BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

24/07/2007

Belarusian President Replaces Oil, Gas Executives

President Alyaksandr Lukashenka on July 23 fired the heads of some major state oil and gas companies as Belarusian officials were holding talks at the Gazprom headquarters in Moscow over an unpaid gas debt of some $500 million, Belapan and Reuters reported. Uladzimir Mayorau replaced Dzmitry Kazakou as head of the Beltranshaz gas-pipeline operator. Uladzimir Zubkou took over from Mikalay Vasilevich as director of the Belarusian Oil Company, and Valery Kazakevich replaced Alyaksandr Barouski as head of the Belarusian State Petrochemical Industry Concern (Belnaftakhim). Barouski was arrested in May and subsequently charged with embezzlement, abuse of office, and disclosure of secret information (see "RFE/RL Newsline," June 26, 2007). Lukashenka reportedly tasked Kazakevich with restoring "iron order" at Belnaftakhim. Under a contract signed on December 31, 2006, between the Belarusian government and Gazprom, Belarus has to pay $100 for 1,000 cubic meters of Russian gas in 2007, compared with $46.68 during the previous 2 1/2 years. Gazprom allowed Belarus to pay 55 percent of the contract price in the first six months of 2007. Minsk promised to pay off the accumulated gas debt by July 23, but failed to do so. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/07/3-cee/cee-240707.asp