April 28 (SeeNews) - The European Union will ensure that Gazprom's decision to halt gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland has the least possible impact on European consumers and will take steps to guarantee enough gas supply and reserves in the medium term, European Commission (EC) president Ursula von der Leyen said.
"This is something the European Commission has been preparing for, in close coordination and solidarity with member states and international partners. Our response will be immediate, united and coordinated," von der Leyen said in a statement on Wednesday, qualifying Gazprom's move as "blackmail" and "another provocation from Kremlin."
In addition to an agreement reached with the US to dispatch more liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2022 and onwards, the EU will work with member states to secure alternative gas supplies from other partners as well, von der Leyen said.
There will be no reduction of, or limit imposed on gas supply to Bulgarian consumers, Bulgarian prime minister Kiril Petkov said in a separate statement on Wednesday. The authorities will review all existing contracts with Gazprom, including those relating to the transit of gas through Bulgaria.
The gas interconnector with Greece will be completed by the end of June, Petkov added. That will allow an increase in imports of gas from Azerbaijan as part of a contract for 1 billion cu m.
Bulgaria currently uses between 3 and 3.5 billion cu m of gas, of which it can receive 2 billion from the operating interconnection point with Greece with the balance to come from Turkey, finance minister Asen Vasilev said as reported by state news agency BTA.
The price of the gas which Bulgaria is currently importing is 20% higher, but it could potentially be brought down below that charged so far by Gazprom through common efforts with the EU, Vasilev was quoted as saying.
EU member states will meet on Thursday to discuss ways to accelerate joint purchases of natural gas and LNG to alleviate possible gas disruptions and cut their reliance on Russian gas.
On Wednesday, Gazprom stopped exporting gas to Bulgaria and Poland, saying it will not renew deliveries unless payment is made in rubles, in contradiction with existing contracts.