ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th April, 2022) Greece will make the next payment to Gazprom in the third decade of May and does not expect any disruptions in the gas supplies from Russia, the office of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Russian energy giant Gazprom announced suspension of gas supplies to Polish state-controlled gas group PGNiG and Bulgarian company Bulgargaz for their refusal to proceed with payments in rubles, as it was requested earlier. Moreover, Gazprom warned that it would limit deliveries to the third countries, in case Poland and Bulgaria begin unsanctioned use of Russian gas from the transit pipelines.
"As it was stressed during the meeting, there are enough energy resources and no interruptions of supplies to the country are expected. The next payments to Gazprom will be made in the third decade of May. Greece has been and will remain energy secure," the office said in a statement after Mitsotakis held a meeting on energy efficiency of the country.
The office did not specify whether it was decided to switch to the new payment procedure in rubles.
"The Ministry of Energy has already released a detailed plan for meeting energy demand in any circumstances," the statement read.
On April 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree requiring gas payments in rubles went into effect. It stipulates that all contracts for pipeline gas deliveries with companies on the "unfriendly nations" list be settled in the Russian national Currency. The majority of the countries rejected Russia's demand, with EU officials and European leaders taking steps aimed at diversifying their gas supplies in the hope of eventually abandoning Russian energy.
