Naftogaz plans to raise claims against Gazprom at least by $1 bln

MOSCOW, Mar 15 (PRIME) -- Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz Ukrainy plans to raise claims against Russian gas giant Gazprom filed to the Stockholm Arbitration Court; in particular, it plans to increase them by about U.S. $1 billion for gas transit in January–March, Yury Vitrenko, director for business development, said in a post on his Facebook account on Tuesday.

“We will demand repayment of additional sums of money as compensation for our overpayment (compared to the fair price) for the gas, delivered to us, and their underpayment for transit services. For example, we will demand Gazprom’s repayment of about $1 billion due to a short payment for gas transit services in the first quarter of 2016! In annual terms, this sum could stand at about $4 billion for 2016,” he said.

The total amount of claims, filed by Naftogaz Ukrainy against Gazprom, is estimated at $25.7 billion, including $14 billion under a contract on gas supplies and $11.7 billion under a gas transit contract.

Earlier Gazprom submitted amendments to a lawsuit against Naftogaz Ukrainy to court, adding a $2.549 billion debt for gas which Ukraine ordered for July–September 2015 but did not take. The total amount of Gazprom’s claims against Naftogaz Ukrainy has reached $31.759 billion.

Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy have been battling in the Stockholm Arbitration Court since 2014, when Naftogaz Ukrainy filed a suit against Gazprom demanding the company pay a $3.2 billion compensation for the gas which was not submitted for transit in previous years, and also an interest on the amount.

In January, Kiev increased transit tariffs for Gazprom by 67% to $4.5 for 1,000 cubic meters of gas per 100 kilometers.

Gazprom earlier expected first hearings of cases in March and a court decision concerning gas supply contract discord in late June 2016. Gas transit disagreements are expected to be considered later.

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