OREANDA-NEWS. On January 20, 2009 Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko announced during a joint briefing with Commissioner of the European Union for Energy Andris Piebalgs.

“The fact of gas price has occurred better than anticipated in the State Budget. It is very good, as it gives additional resources to support Ukraine’s economy,” she emphasized.

The Head of Government also explained that in the first quarter of 2009 when the price for Russian gas for Ukraine is the highest, there is no need to buy Russian gas as sufficient amounts of gas are stored in Ukrainian storages at the last year’s prices.

“We will minimize amounts of gas bought for Ukraine’s needs in the first quarter, and from the second quarter the price will be moderate in connection with drop of prices for oil, so we will achieve a normal price on the year’s results. It will not entail any fallout in the financial state of Naftogas NJSC,” Yulia Tymoshenko assured.