Naftogaz Ukrainy says EU gas cheaper than Medvedchuk’s offer

KIEV, Mar 25 (PRIME) -- Ukrainian energy holding Naftogaz Ukrainy pays less for the natural gas it buys from the E.U. than the price offered by oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk through a direct contract with Russia, the company said in a statement on its Facebook page late on March 22.

Medvedchuk and Ukrainian presidential candidate Yury Boiko met with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and gas giant Gazprom’s CEO Alexei Miller. Miller said that Gazprom was ready to prolong gas transit through Ukraine on the basis of the existing contract, and that the company was also ready to sign a direct supply contract.

Naftogaz Ukrainy said that the existing contract amended by the Stockholm court obliges Gazprom to sell gas to Ukraine 48% cheaper than the price for March that would be set by the initial contract.

“It is also interesting that mister Medvedchuk spoke about gas deliveries at U.S. $240–260 per 1,000 cubic meters. We bought gas at the E.U. open market in March at an average price of $226 per 1,000 cubic meters, and the price for April fell to about $217. They should at least dump the prices competently,” the company said.

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