Austrian chancellor says accepts Russia’s gas payment terms

BRUSSELS, Apr 27 (PRIME) -- Austria has accepted Russia’s terms of payments for gas in rubles and President Vladimir Putin ensured the security of the supplies, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Wednesday.

“We, (Austria’s energy company) OMV have accepted the payment terms, and so has Germany… It was important for us, and that is why during our discussion with Putin he ensured that the gas supplies will continue and we will be able to pay in euros. So the situation has not changed for us,” he said.

CFO of German energy company Uniper Tiina Tuomela said that the new payment scheme does not contradict the sanctions, and the company’s payment is due in late May.

Uniper’s Commercial Director Niek den Hollander said that the suspension of gas supplies to Poland will not hurt Germany’s purchases.

“There will be no shipments to (Poland’s) national company PGNiG. According to our estimate, it is around 7 billion cubic meters, which were to be delivered to the particular party. One should understand that it is about the particular party and Gazprom’s agreement. It will not impact the transit via Poland,” he said.

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that the suspension of gas sales to Bulgaria will not impact the transit to Hungary.

Gazprom said it suspended gas supplies to Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz and Poland’s PGNiG from Wednesday due to a lack of payments in rubles.

Gazprom also warned about reduction of transit to third states in case of illegal withdrawal of gas by Bulgaria and Poland.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen called Gazprom’s suspension of gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria “an attempt to blackmail.”

“Gazprom’s statements are Russia’s another attempt to blackmail us with gas. We are ready for the scenario, and we have prepared the E.U.’s coordinated answer,” she said.

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