CHISINAU, January 19. /TASS/. Moldova is asking Gazprom to allow paying the debt for gas supplied in January in stages, the republic’s Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Spinu told a briefing on Wednesday when commenting on the Russian holding’s warning received on the previous day that gas deliveries might be possibly cut off due to the failure to pay for current supplies in January under the contract.
"Moldovagaz will pay an advance amounting to $38 mln to Gazprom by January 20, with another $25 mln left to be paid for January, and Moldovagaz has asked to postpone the payment, but did not manage to reach an understanding with Gazprom, which did not want to help its subsidiary," Spinu said, adding that $38 mln equaled more than half of the $63 mln advance payment, which should be paid for January, with several days of postponement at stake, and that the company planned to obtain credit to pay off this debt.
Previously, Gazprom was flexible with Moldova, allowing postponement of payments in winter periods, which were later liquidated in summer as gas consumption declined, Deputy PM said. "We obviously see a change in Gazprom’s attitude to gas supplies to Moldova," he stressed, adding that in this situation the actual risk of gas supplies being cut off exists.
Gazprom and Moldovagaz extended the gas supply contract for five years last October. The formula for calculating the price of gas was approved for the republic, which considers the ratio of market prices for gas and oil. Moreover, it stipulates the payment for gas consumed in the previous month in due time until the 20th day of each month.