How this can be in a country trading in oil is a question for the Russians. In most of the "oil" states, gasoline is pouring in, and it is much cheaper than Russian. We will not remember in vain Venezuela, where the AI-95 costs 3 cents, it is simply indecent. We will try to understand what is happening with us.
Gas prices
As economists explain, the presence of oil fields, of course, affects the cost of fuel within the country, but this is not the main factor in pricing. The principle of equal profitability applies on the market. That is, the goods go where prices are higher so that companies can save profits. As prices for oil products in the world rise at a gallop, and inside the country the authorities "urged" not to raise them, the oil companies went for export, reducing domestic supplies. Fortunately, prices are not regulated on the foreign market. As a result, Altai, St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Novosibirsk, then Chernozemye were left almost without gasoline.
The government rushed to the aid of the "drying up" regions: it was decided to close the need for fuel by reducing the export of petroleum products and even completely banning it. The latter is strange for analysts: Russia exports only 8% of produced petroleum products, and mainly crude oil, diesel fuel and fuel oil - how this can affect the domestic gasoline market …
In general, the cabinet had no choice but to decide on increasing export duties on gasoline from May 1 to 90% of the oil duty rate (previously the rate was calculated on the basis of a coefficient of 0.67), that is, with respect to gasoline - from $ 283, 9 to $ 304 per ton. However, this did not help, gas station prices began to rise again, and the lines to the columns were not shortened.
On May 5, the perpetrators of the crisis were found. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said oil companies deliberately support "fuel starvation" to manipulate prices. Here it is … Not a shortage of oil products on exchanges, but a banal conspiracy! Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin even threatened to introduce additional measures … Scary. But now, despite all efforts, a miracle does not occur.
President Medvedev at a press conference once again talked about the need to bring down gas prices: “How? Well, I see how! Unfortunately, I can not offer anything other than restrictive measures … It is a question of introducing very strict duties. " And the head of the Ministry of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina did not rule out the prolongation in June of “temporarily” increased export duties. What does it mean “temporarily” in Russia, we know …
