Putin promises to discuss gasoline prices with antimonopoly service

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Feb 1 (PRIME) -- Russian gasoline prices can be lower, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday adding that he will discuss the issue with the Federal Antimonopoly Service.

“Of course we would like to depress the price in the current situation, and we seem to have a chance to do so,” Putin said at a meeting at Rostselmash agricultural machine plant workers.

“There are grounds (for high prices) in some regions, as transportation is not cheap and infrastructure is undeveloped. But the antimonopoly service should always track that, and I will discuss it with the service’s head.”

The prices for gasoline are tied to oil prices or to excises. “The price for the primary product is rather high now, it is close to U.S. $70 per barrel. But the key thing here is not that, it is about excises. The government is raising excises, the incomes from which should be spent on maintenance and construction of roads,” he said.

End