First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov stated on air of “1+1” TV channel that since December 2007 “Gazprom” public corporation had not paid gas transit through the territory of Ukraine to Europe, according to the government’s press-office.
At the same time, according to him, the Ukrainian side does not set up strict claims on offset of this debt because considers “practicing blackmail in relations between serious negotiators is inadmissible”.
“In contrast to our Russian colleagues Ukraine does not blackmail Russian “Gazprom” though there are grounds: since December last year “Gazprom” has not paid not a penny to NJSC “Naftohaz of Ukraine” for Russian gas transit to Europe,” Oleksandr Turchynov noted.
“We believe that blackmail in relations between serious negotiators is inadmissible”, Oleksandr Turchynov stressed.
Oleksandr Turchynov emphasized that NJSC “Naftohaz of Ukraine” does not fix strict terms, for example, to repay a debt till 5 March this year otherwise transit will be suspended.
He also added that unfortunately, our opponents are forced to practice blackmail being guided by the political expediency and formula “to press for preserving corruption in Ukraine”.
At that, the First Vice Prime Minister announced that “blackmail will fail” and Ukrainian consumers would be provided with gas in any case.
“We are ready and invite international experts to see how Ukraine is paying for gas and why, for example, the Russian “Gazprom” does not pay for transit,” the First Vice Prime Minister noted.
