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Energy crisis in Europe

Kremlin says economics, not politics, involved in Gazprom gas supplies to Moldova

Dmitry Peskov highlighted the fact that this issue should be addressed primarily to Gazprom, and not to the Kremlin

MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. Gazprom's gas supplies to Moldova are a purely commercial matter, and politics is not playing any role in it, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov assured reporters on Wednesday.

He was responding to remarks by Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita of Moldova that Gazprom had warned Chisinau of a possible halt in supplies because of the country’s failure to pay for the January deliveries according to the contract.

When asked whether the Kremlin thinks that the situation with gas supplies to Moldova has gone beyond commercial agreements, Peskov said:

"Absolutely not. These are gas supplies, they must pay for them. There is no hidden agenda here."

Peskov highlighted the fact that this issue should be addressed primarily to Gazprom, and not to the Kremlin.

"This is more of a commercial issue, so we would recommend that you ask Gazprom itself how things are going," he argued.

"Gazprom has contractual obligations with gas buyers. There is a certain amount that needs to be paid. Gazprom, as an international and joint-stock company, must sell goods and receive money for it, it cannot give goods away for free," Putin’s press secretary contended.

Earlier, Moldovagaz Executive Board Chairman Vadim Cheban said that the company would not be able to square accounts with Gazprom for the current gas consumption in January and avoid the suspension of gas supplies. He pinned the financial difficulties on the tariffs, as they were not keeping up with the increased price of imported gas in January.

The price of Russian gas for Moldova in January has climbed from $550 to $647 per 1,000 cubic meters. The approved tariff rate is $430. According to him, Moldovan banks will not furnish a loan to the company, which owes a huge debt to the Russian gas holding.

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Energy crisis in Europe

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