Tariffs of RZD OJSC in 2015 might rise over the plan

When the head of RZD OJSC, V. Yakunin, addresses President Putin, the position of the Government on controlling the rates of railroad tariffs growth has weakened. Kommersant has learnt that to prevent the monopoly’s loss in 2015 at the volume of 100 bln roubles the Vice Prime Minister, A. Dvorkovich, suggested raising its tariffs not by 6%, as was planned, but by more than 8%. The profile agencies warn that this decision will break the system of the setting of long-term tariffs and experts think other monopolies may ask for preferences following RZD OJSC.

Last week the President Putin held a meeting at which the issue of the tariff indexation of RZD OJSC for cargo shipment in 2015 was raised, 2 sources in the market told Kommersant. According to one of them, the monopoly announced of the potential loss on the results of 2015 of 100 bln roubles if tariffs are indexed by only 6% as planned. According to RZD, the fair growth is about 10%. The Vice Prime Minister, A. Dvorkovich, agreed with the idea to raise tariffs by more than 8%. According to another source of Kommersant, the Government is ready to make preferences for RZD OJSC but no certain numbers were discussed. V. Putin ordered them to to work out this issue once again. The agency of A. Dvorkovich and RZD OJSC refused to comment. The press secretary of the President, D. Peskov, confirmed the fact of holding the meeting but refused to discuss the issue of railroad tariffs indexation