UPDATE: Officials see minimal threat of rise in retail gasoline prices

(Adds last two paragraphs)

MOSCOW, Aug 22 (PRIME) -- The threat of another rise in gasoline prices in Russia due to external factors and repair works at some refineries is minimal, Ilya Dzhus, representative of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, told reporters after a meeting held by Kozak on Wednesday.

“The members of the meeting held by Kozak have discussed the situation on the motor fuel market. According to reports of the Federal Antimonopoly Service and the Energy Ministry, independent gasoline filling stations’ margins are reasonable,” he said.

“The threat of pressure of a changeable external environment and overhaul at some oil refineries is minimal now.”

Dzhus also said that the Energy Ministry did not support introduction of a norm envisaging delivering of at least 17.5% of oil companies’ annual output to domestic refineries.

Earlier in August, Kommersant business daily reported that the government asked the Energy Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Economic Development Ministry to analyze the possibility of introducing such a requirement.

End