Novak backs Russian ministry proposal to limit number of gasoline exporters

MOSCOW. July 25 (Interfax) - Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has supported the Russian Energy Ministry's proposal to restrict the number of gasoline exporters, a statement on the government's website said.

"Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak held a meeting on the situation on the oil products market. At the end of the meeting the deputy prime minister supported the proposal of the Energy Ministry of Russia to restrict the number of gasoline exporters, and also instructed the [Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS)] and Energy Ministry to continue working with oil companies on increasing the amounts of motor fuel sold on the oil products market, including in exchange trading," the press release said.

The Energy Ministry said earlier that it is considering compiling a list of oil product exporters as a measure to stop shady export schemes, where oil products that are purchased on the domestic market and on which the government has paid fuel subsidies are shipped out of Russia. "Compiling a list of exporters is one of the measures being considered. The Energy Ministry will continue to work on stopping shady export schemes," the ministry said.

It was reported earlier that the ministry and the FAS are supposed to work out the issue of imposing quotas on oil product exports by August 3, according to instructions issued after Novak held a meeting on the fuel market on June 30. The ministry and the regulator are also supposed to determine further measures to prevent shady exports of oil products by August 3 and, if necessary, draft a corresponding government resolution.