Gazprom exec: Naftogaz Ukrainy trying to enforce fine charge again

MOSCOW, Aug 31 (PRIME) -- Naftogaz Ukrainy sent an appeal to the Stockholm arbitration court in August to resume forced penalty charge under a U.S. $2.56 billion case against Gazprom, but the Russian company expects dismissal of the claim, Deputy Director of the legal department Yury Ivanov said at a conference call on Friday.

“In August, Naftogaz asked the Swedish court for a third time to repeal its decision to suspend the fulfillment. Gazprom prepared its comments and sent them to the Swedish court. We are absolutely waiting for a positive decision by the Swedish court, which has not been made so far unfortunately, but we are waiting for it to be made soon,” Ivanov said.

The Stockholm arbitration court ruled earlier in 2018 that Gazprom must pay Naftogaz Ukrainy $2.56 billion for non-shipment of gas. Gazprom said in June that a court of appeals suspended the ruling and that the company would use the decision as a ground to contest property seizure under the case in Switzerland and the Netherlands. Naftogaz Ukrainy is trying to enforce the arrest.

Ivanov said that hearings in a U.K. court on Gazprom’s assets freeze in the country will be held on September 4–5.

“We also continue litigations on the issue (of Gazprom asset freeze) on the U.K. territory, and hearings of the issue on lifting an arrest order on the property will be held in the U.K. court on September 4–5,”Ivanov said.

He added that information on the case in the Netherlands is unavailable.

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