PRESS: Gazprom preparing to sue private Turkish gas importers

MOSCOW, Jan 13 (PRIME) -- Russian gas giant Gazprom is preparing to submit court claims against private Turkish gas importers because they could not agree on the gas price for 2017, business daily Kommersant reported on Friday, citing sources on both sides.

Gazprom cooperates with state Turkish gas company Botas and private importers, such as Enerco Enerji, Avrasya gaz and Akfel gas, all three parts of Akfel Holding, Bosphorus gas, Shell Turkey, Bati Hatti and Kibar Enerji. The supplies to private firms amount to about 10 billion cubic meters and to Botas to 17 billion cubic meters.

Gazprom and Botas are already in price litigations. Gazprom offered private companies to set a temporary price for 2017, which would be higher than the 2016 one until the litigations with Botas finish and then to renegotiate the price and possibly give a retroactive discount for 2017 but Turkish companies turned down the offer, saying that the 2016 price is fair.

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