"Gazprom" to receive the right to discount gas prices.

But the government approval may be delayed.

The macroeconomic forecast approved by the government yesterday takes into account the permission given to "Gazprom" to offer discounts on the regulated gas prices. But according to "the Kommersant", the government has not yet made the final decision about the changing of the rules of the monopoly's work, and the process may be delayed. The prompt receipt of the right to discount is important for "Gazprom" in the ever-growing competition in the domestic market with the independent gas producers. The decrease can if not stop it, but slow to the rate of the decrease in the sales of monopoly in Russia.

According to Alexei Ulyukayev, the RF Economics Minister, the macroeconomic forecast, prepared by the Ministry and approved by the government yesterday, assumes that since 2015 "Gazprom" will be allowed to give discounts to the customers on the domestic market. "We judge from the decisions made that "Gazprom" will have the right to grant a discount to the regulated wholesale price", - Mr. Ulyukayev stated at a government meeting. At the same time "the Kommersant" source in the government state that in fact the final decision on this matter is still pending.