ST.PETERSBURG, October 4. /TASS/. Belarus has technically breached the procedure of setting oil transportation tariffs, Russia’s Deputy Energy Ministry Kirill Molodtsov told reporters on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum.

"The procedure was violated in the legal sense," he said, when commenting on Belarus decision to raise the tariff on transportation of Russian oil on its territory.

The decree of Belarus’ Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade dated September 28, 2016, raises tariffs on transit of Russian oil through the territory of the republic by an average of 50%. The document comes into force on October 11, 2016.

Russia believes that the decision violates the existing agreements including provisions of the intergovernmental agreement and approved mechanism for changing tariffs.

Earlier, a representative of Russian oil transportation company Transneft Igor Demin said that neither Gomeltransneft Druzhba nor Polotsktransneft Druzhba companies did not notify the Russian company about unscheduled increase of tariffs for the transit of Russian oil. Transneft informed Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) on Belarus' violations.

The FAS called the tariff increase by Belarus "unthinkable." The regulator also said that Belarus’ actions may lead to litigation.