Gazprom stops exporting gas to Europe via Belarus

Gazprom has stopped exporting gas to European countries via Belarus. According to the company's press office, this decision was taken because 'the Belarussian gas transportation company Beltransgaz is unable to export gas to other countries and prevent the unsanctioned siphoning off of fuel on Belarussian territory.' Gazprom has said that Belarus is responsible for the stoppage of gas supplies to European countries 'as it is refusing to work in market conditions.'

Trans Nafta, until now the only supplier of Russian gas to Belarus, stopped transporting gas to Belarus as 'Belarus refused to sign an additional agreement for the delivery of 640 million cubic metres of gas in February.' The Belarussian side claims this volume of gas could meet all the demands of Belarus for February, Trans Nafta reports.

Gazprom stopped supplying gas to Belarus from January 1. Itera and Trans Nafta stopped transporting gas to Belarus on February 12 although Trans Nafta resumed its work from February 13.

'We have sent Belarus another agreement to go on supplying gas at the previous rates but we still have not had a reply,' a Trans Nafta spokesman said. He added that the union state owes Trans Nafta USD 16.7 million for January and USD 26.1 for February.

Trans Nafta is proposing that Belarus should continue to buy gas at USD 46.7 for every thousand cubic metres. Itera supplied Belarus with gas at the same price at the start of February.

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