• Gazprom has suspended energy supplies to Poland and Bulgaria
• Poland and Bulgaria have refused to pay for gas prices in in roubles.
• European commission President Von Der Leyen has accused Russia of blackmailing using gas as an instrument.

Gazprom halts gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria. On Wednesday it issued a statement regarding complete suspension of gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria . Europe is heavily dependent on Russian Gas for its energy securities. Earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that all energy payments must be made in the Russian currency. Poland and Bulgaria have refused to pay for gas prices in in rubles.

PGNiG (Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo SA), Warsaw headquartered Polish energy giant has confirmed  the suspension. Gas supplies have been halted by Gazprom, according to a notification received by PGNiG from the company, in accordance with the President of the Russian Federation’s decree No. 172 of March 31, 2022, on the special procedure for the fulfilment of obligations to Russian natural gas suppliers by foreign buyers. The suspension of natural gas supply is being seen by PGNiG as a breach of the Yamal contract.

The decree has led to mandatory payments of gas in Russian roubles for some of the Gazprom’s customers and requires customers to hold settlement accounts in a bank under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. PGNiG may now obtain gas from the European Union via interconnectors with Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as from the worldwide LNG market via the Winoujcie terminal, which has had its regasification capacity boosted this year.

Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland’s prime minister, told the Polish parliament that he believes the suspension is retaliation for fresh sanctions placed by Warsaw on Russia for the Ukraine conflict. Morawiecki warned that the shutdown would not intimidate Poland. He claimed that thanks to years of efforts to obtain gas from other nations, the country was safe from an energy catastrophe.

European commission President Von Der Leyen has  accused Russia of blackmailing using gas as an instrument.

Staff Galactik Views