VIENNA, February 13. /TASS/. Former top manager of the Austrian oil and gas company OMV Otto Musilek believes that Gazprom will continue to supply gas to Austria as long as it has the opportunity.

"In my opinion, Gazprom will try to supply gas as long as it is possible," Musilek said in an interview with TASS.

Earlier, Austria’s Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology Leonore Gewessler said that Vienna must prepare a way out of the agreements on Russian gas supplies concluded by OMV. According to Musilek, if the contract is abandoned, OMV will still have to pay about 35 bln euros.

The expert noted that the potential supply disruption would not affect households, but it could be a "problem" for industry.

In June 2018, an agreement was signed to extend the existing contract between Gazprom Export LLC and OMV Gas Marketing&Trading GmbH for the supply of Russian natural gas to Austria until 2040. Previously, the contract was valid until 2028. The contract is based on the take-or-pay principle, meaning OMV is obliged to transfer money even if it does not actually take the gas.