Price of Reseller’s Services
On the face of it, the scandal over Yugorosgaz, which is resells Russian gas to Serbia, is a purely economic matter. Moreover, the scandal appears to have its price - ˆ35 million – the sum Yugorosgaz charges for its services. Of course, for Serbian consumers, who have to pay for another link in the gas trade chain, which has become too long, the sum is pretty big. Especially given the current economic crunch.
However, it would be simplification to boil down the problem to the notorious commission Yugorosgaz would get. When speaking about the scandal over Yugorosgaz, you can’t help noting its political cost, which appear to be rather heavy.
Resuming the Russia-Serbian energy cooperation via Yugorosgaz is nothing else than using doubtful schemes which existed in Slobodan Milosevic’s era. A reseller, founded with the help of Milosevic’s close friend Mirko Marjanović, is an example of doing business at the time of non-transparent schemes and the practice of high-ranking officials’ abusing power. In Serbia everyone knows that Prime Minister Marjanović received high revenues from Russian gas supplies – when in office he headed the Progress company, which dealt with Russian gas supplies.
Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić attempted to put an end to the times when Serbia’s government was represented by cronies, who pursued their own interests, rather than those of the nation. After Milosevic was toppled, it seemed that the former rules were consigned to the dustbin of history. But today we see that the past is trying to return.
Yugorosgaz’ victory may become a blow against Russia’s image, which has been quite high in Serbia. The current gas scheme, where a Russian company is a reseller, makes Serbia a subordinate, which is unlikely to benefit Moscow and Belgrade’s energy cooperation. The people of Serbia may think that they had to pay Yugorosgaz because Moscow insisted on it.
Belgrade’s political forces believe that the energy relations between Russia and Serbia should be transparent, basing on economic prognoses, and without resellers. Otherwise, the price of a reseller’s services will be too high: both in economic and political terms.
Zorana Boic, Chief of the Serbian news agency Beta in Russia
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 24, 2008
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