European companies paying Russia for gas through Gazprombank/Apostrophe
The list published online European energy companies that continue to receive Russian gas. However, the details of their settlements with Gazprom, in particular, whether they opened accounts in rubles at the request of Russia, are not public information.
According to Politico, these are companies from Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. Only the Italian company directly admitted that it has an account in both euros and rubles.
What representatives of these countries say about this
Regarding the Hungarian MVM Affairs Peter Szijjarto said in early April that the settlements are in euros, Gazprombank converts them and pays the funds to Gazprom Export. He also noted that a new contract between MVM subsidiary CEE Energy and Gazprom Export, signed in September, already allows payments in an alternative currency.
The German VNG, in a comment dated May 9, said that it would pay the accounts, which will continue to be in euros, to accounts in Gazprombank and believes that “the conversion into rubles will not entail any difficulties and the opening of the account took place no problem”.
In German RWEsaid on May 16 that they had prepared for payments in euros and opened an appropriate account, and noted that they were acting in accordance with pan-European and national rules. A similar statement was made by the German Uniper, noting that it had prepared for “appropriate contracts for payments in euros to this account under the new mechanism.”
French Engie said it was prepared to fulfill its payment obligations “so far it will be in line with the European sanctions framework against Russia.”
Italian Eni said on May 17 that it “began the process of opening two accounts with Gazprombank” on a precautionary basis, one in euro and the second is in rubles. Austrian OMVclaims to be making payments under the sanctions mechanism. In the Czech ČEZ they commented that they pay in euros on the recommendation of the European Commission, but they cannot comment on the details.
Slovak SPP and Slovenian Geoplin declare that they pay in euros euro according to the current contract and the recommendations of European institutions.
What the European Commission says about this
In April, the European Commission reported that EU sanctions do not prohibit opening an account with Gazprombank, although she noted that clients can ask the Russian side to fulfill obligations under the contract in the same way as before the approval of the latest Russian requirements for payment under the dual account scheme, in euros or dollars and in rubles to convert.
Pay attention!A European Commission spokesman commented in May that anything beyond paying in euros to a Gazprom account would be considered a violation of the sanctions, but the EU continues to complain about the lack of clarity on whether opening an account in rubles for conversion is considered a violation of the sanctions.
It should be noted that earlier Gazprom stopped gas supplies to three EU members – Poland, Bulgaria and Finland – on the grounds that they refused to pay in accordance with the new requirements of Russia.
What is the position of Ukraine
< p>Head of the Office of the President Andrey Yermak explained that the Polish company PGNiG, the Bulgarian Bulgargaz and the Finnish Gasum refused to pay in rubles, so the supplies were stopped.
But some companies , as the publication suspects, could go to the terms of Russia. That is why we propose sanctions against Gazprombank and the entire banking system of Russia. The aggressor country is trying to split the unity of the EU through ultimatums,” Yermak emphasized.
Those who make concessions to Moscow today increase the risk for their countries in the future. Yermak added that gas is Moscow's weapon. As well as oil. And any concession in Russia is perceived only as weakness.
