The chief editor of the online edition “Ukrainian Truth” Sevgil Musaev considers that Naftogaz of Ukraine NJSC artificially controls minimum half of consumers on the Ukrainian natural gas market through the existing subsidy allocation system for utility services, Chief Editor Sevgil Musaev wrote in his column in the edition “Ukrainian Truth”, Ukrainian News reports.

“The price of NJSC in this March and April was by 20-25% higher than the market price. With such prices, there is no queue for NJSC’s gas. But the monopolist does not need it. It does not virtually work on the free market – the government created the quasimarket, which covers almost the half of country’s consumption”, the chief editor of Ukrainian Truth wrote.

She emphasizes that for regional heating and gas companies, the partial payment for their services on the part of the public is covered by public subsidies; they can have gas under such commitments only from Naftogaz.

“Here, you have to pay the price, which is higher by 25-30% than market, to the monopolist. The public pays the second part in cash. However, having concluded the gas delivery contracts with Naftogaz, heating and distribution personnel have to transfer “hard cash” to the same address”. That is, NJSC took the resource of the public extracting company, transferred it under the act to heating producers and gas suppliers locally with the price, increased by 20-25%”, Musaeva notes.

The chief editor of Ukrainian Truth notes that without monetization of subsidies, it is impossible to overcome this situation and fully launch the natural gas market, i.e. to allow private gas extracting companies to sell gas to the public.

As Ukrainian News reports, Naftogaz leased the new office on Maidan and will pay UAH 40 million for advice if it is worth selling its assets in Egypt.

Chairman of Naftogaz Kobolev receives 2 minimum wages per hour.

Poroshenko and Groisman committed themselves to IMF to introduce the gas consumer fee by summer 2017.