Energy Ministry to meet with filling station reps on June 1
MOSCOW. May 31 (Interfax) - Russia's Energy Ministry will meet with representatives of independent filling stations operators on June 1 in order to discuss the situation on the retail fuel market, the ministry said in a statement.
The meeting will be chaired by Deputy Energy Minister Sergei Kudryashov. "The spike in prices on gasoline prices in certain regions of Russia, caused, in part, by ill preparation of independent suppliers to operate under modern market conditions is the reason for the meeting," the ministry said.
Russia's Energy Ministry has repeatedly expressed its alarm regarding the situation now faced by fuel retailers that have already cornered over one half of the Russian fuel market. In order to boost competition and lower wholesale prices on petroleum products, the ministry has proposed that state company Rosneftegaz acquire an oil refinery for processing crude produced by independent operators. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin has given his support to the idea of forming or acquiring refining capacity for small and medium-sized companies.
In addition, specialists from the Russian Fuel Union and the Moscow Fuel Association have been invited to the meeting.