Baku, Azerbaijan, October 18
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
Kazakh Ministry of Energy, State Revenue Committee and National Security Committee are to take measures to abolish Kazakh petrol smuggling to Russia, Kazakh Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev said, Trend reports with reference to Kazakh media.
According to Bozumbayev, thousands of cars smuggle Kazakh petrol to Russia.
“Thousands of cars enter Kazakhstan, refuel not far from the border with Russia and then leave. Passenger cars fill up dozens of cans, whereas transit trucks weld themselves additional tanks of up to 3-4 tons of capacity. Thousands of tons of our petrol, diesel fuel are being smuggled to adjacent country. Thus, we are subsidizing a foreign economy,” the minister said.
He added that Kazakh Ministry of Energy, State Revenue Committee and National Security Committee are to take corresponding measures.
“Transportation of petrol will be permitted only by cars in factory tanks and in additional 20-liter canisters,” he said.
Fuel is almost two times cheaper in Kazakhstan than in Russia. That is why drivers from Russia that live close to border with Kazakhstan often go to Kazakhstan to purchase fuel while taking the advantage of the price difference.
---
Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh