Gazprom: Maybe Minsk will pay, but what’s next?

• 21.06.2010, 15:28

The problem of non-payment for Russian gas deliveries in Belarus could acquire a chronic character, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller believes.

Since the beginning of this year Belarus pays to Russia not according to a contract, but according to the price established in a unilateral procedure, as a result of that it already owes about $200 million. On Tuesday Russian president Dmitry Medvedev stated that he gave Belarus 5 days to settle the issue of payment, and Gazprom named June 21 as a deadline, after which supplies would be cut in case situation not improved. On Thursday Miller said that the cutting would reach 85%.

“Maybe Belarus would find a possibility to repay the debt. Maybe they would even pay for deliveries in May on June 23. But we are worried that the issue of non-payment for Russian gas deliveries to Belarus could acquire a chronic nature, and the reasons for that could be economic,” Miller said an in interview to Echo Moskvy.