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European gas consumers didn't ask Novatek to increase supplies

At the moment, about 80% of the company's supplies on the spot market go to the Asia-Pacific countries, while Europe's portion is insignificant

BELOKAMENKA VILLAGE / Murmansk region /, October 18. / TASS /. Gas on the European market should not cost $ 1200 per cubic meter, so the EU urgently needs to take action and start signing long-term contracts for its supply, said the head of Novatek, Leonid Mikhelson on Monday.

Mikhelson told reporters that European companies have not applied to Novatek with a request to increase supplies, including under long-term contracts.

"People still need to make some serious decisions. Gas cannot cost $1200/cubic meters. Decisions must be made, contracts must be signed. They should come to us and talk about signing long-term contracts," he said.

Mikhelson added that currently about 80% of the company's supplies on the spot market go to the Asia-Pacific countries, while Europe's portion is insignificant. At the same time, Novatek does not feel any responsibly to provide additional gas supplies to Europe without signing contracts," he said.

"They say 'why don't you pump more gas?' But why am I supposed to turn up the capacity, and sit there and wait and think 'what if they need more gas?' Sign a contract first!" Mikhelson said.

He also said that the proposals by EU officials to completely ban gas supplies to Europe, as well as to ban its production in the Arctic are impossible to achieve. "This rhetoric will continue to happen and I don't think that they have anything to do with a long-term goal, rather with a spare of the moment result, depending on the choices they have."

"I think that despite everything, the right ideas will be accepted. Politics won't be able to suppress what's right. We must work to make our products even cleaner. These results can be achieved with less energy consumption in the Arctic zone especially," he said.

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