The Austrian oil, gas and chemicals group OMV wants to continue paying its bills for Russian natural gas in euros in line with EU sanctions. “We have now implemented a sanctions-compliant payment process that ensures gas deliveries can be paid for on time,” company spokesman Andreas Rinofner told Archyde.com today. Payments would continue to be made in euros and go into an account at Gazprombank.
OMV thus sees the fulfillment of the contract as guaranteed. “We consider our payment obligations to be fulfilled with the transfer of the euro amount,” said the spokesman, “and we do not expect that there will be any problem with Gazprombank’s conversion of the amount into rubles.” By decree, Russia had demanded payment for gas deliveries in rubles. Otherwise, deliveries would be stopped. Gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria were halted after the two countries failed to accept the new payment system.
Several European gas suppliers had already explained on Wednesday how they would pay for Russian gas without violating European sanctions. These were EnBW and Uniper from Germany, Italian Eni and Engie from France. The exchange is handled by the Russian Gazprombank, which is not subject to sanctions. EU Commission officials announced on Thursday that paying gas bills in euros or dollars to a Gazprombank account is in line with EU sanctions, even if the Russian side exchanges Western currencies for Russian currencies via a second account rubles will be made.