MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. Austria’s accusing Gazprom of failing to fulfill agreements and Vienna's termination of the contract for Russian gas supplies have destroyed one of the "key pillars" of Russian-Austrian relations, and Moscow will not just stand by and watch as this happens, said Russian ambassador to Vienna Dmitry Lyubinsky in a commentary to the Izvestia newspaper.
"Today, it was the Austrian side that escalated the situation. For some time, we have been hearing endless complaints from certain political figures in Vienna about the oppressive gas dependency. It was Vienna that suddenly declared our long-standing gas partnership a historical mistake, <...> thereby destroying one of the key pillars of our bilateral relations and business ties," the Russian diplomat recalled.
"Responsibility for these politically motivated decisions lies entirely with official Vienna, and this, of course, will not remain without consequences," Lyubinsky assured.
The ambassador drew attention to the fact that Russia has never aimed to "punish or blackmail Vienna or anyone else for political gain," or use its energy resources as a tool of pressure. According to the diplomat, even though the Austrian side is participating in sanctions and supported the freezing of Russian assets, Moscow has still kept an even hand.
"On the contrary, it is our raw materials that have de facto saved the Austrian economy, which is in deep recession, from collapsing," Lyubinsky stressed.
Nevertheless, Vienna decided to stop deliveries of Russian gas, despite the negative consequences "for their own industry and for their own people" and made abandoning energy cooperation with Moscow "an end in itself," the diplomat said.
Austria's decision to terminate contract with Gazprom
On December 11, Austrian energy company OMV announced the termination of a contract with Gazprom Export for the transportation of gas to Austria due to a halt in supplies in November. Later, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that Austria had accumulated sufficient reserves and found alternative suppliers, so it was in a position to give up Russian gas.
However, gas supplies to Austria through the gas hub in Baumgarten (located on the border of Austria and Slovakia, intended for importing gas from Russia and Norway) continue in the same volume, despite statements about the cessation of Russian gas flows, according to data from gas transportation operators. As experts interviewed by TASS noted, OMV may still receive Gazprom gas, but through an intermediary in Slovakia.