Belarus to Sell Gas Pipelines

By The Moscow Times

June 23, 2011

MINSK — Belarus says it will sell its remaining stakes in its strategic natural gas pipelines to Gazprom for $2.5 billion.

The deal will help the Kremlin-controlled gas giant secure exports to Europe that have been affected by pricing disputes with Belarus and neighboring Ukraine in recent years. Gazprom already owns a 50 percent stake in Beltransgaz, the holding company of the network, under a $2.5 billion deal struck in 2006. Beltransgaz carries some 20 percent of Gazprom's gas exports to Europe.

The Belarussian government said Thursday that First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko is in Moscow completing the deal to sell the company's remaining 50 percent.

(AP)

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue