Energy in Armenia which maintains a monopoly over Armenia's natural gas market. Gazprom wholly owns a crucial 24-mile section of the pipeline which Armenia surrendered in exchange for natural gas supplies from Russia at prices well below the European average until 2009. According to an analyst, Armenia "effectively bargained away its future prospects for energy sources in return for cheaper prices now." While Armenia could diversify its gas supply, with control of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, Gazprom now controls the competitors' supply. In 2009 Armenia was importing 1-1.5 million cubic meters of Iranian natural gas, paying for this by electricity exports. In 2010
Central Energy Italian Gas Holding Central Energy Italian Gas Holding Central Energy Italian Inc is a gas distribution and trade company. It is a part of the Central Energy ], a company related to Gazprom. A deal between Italian Eni and Gazprom picked CEI as a partner delivering gas to Italy. Investigations by members of the Italian parliament revealed that Bruno Mentasti-Granelli, who is known as a close friend of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, owns 33 percent of CEIGH through two companies, Hexagon Prima and Hexagon Seconda. The deal was denounced due to the spreading scandal. Italian parliament blocked the contract, accusing Berlusconi of