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Austria should get out from under Russian gas contracts — minister

The ministry will ask experts to analyze the economic impact of a potential exit from the contracts, Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology Leonore Gewessler noted

VIENNA, February 12. /TASS/. Austria should find a way to get out of the deals brokered by its oil and gas holding OMV on the supply of Russian gas, Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology Leonore Gewessler said.

"We must prepare for the withdrawal of OMV from these contracts. Long-term contracts obliging us to take a huge quantity of natural gas have become yet one more cause for the share of Russian gas in our country being so large," the minister said at a press conference.

The ministry will ask experts to analyze the economic impact of a potential exit from the contracts, Gewessler noted. The minister alleged that Gazprom unilaterally reduced the volume of supplies in 2022. The politician recalled the contract for gas transit via Ukraine expiring after 2024.

"If one of the parties does not honor the conditions, then we will have an opportunity to act, not just analyze but actually exit these contracts," she noted.