OREANDA-NEWS. The Gazprom Board of Directors held a meeting in absentia. The decision was taken to create a Commission under the Board of Directors to strengthen financial discipline for domestic gas supplies in the Russian Federation.

Viktor Zubkov, Chairman of the Gazprom Board of Directors, and Alexander Babakov, Member of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, were elected as Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Commission, respectively.

The Commission was established for the additional coordination of efforts undertaken by Gazprom to improve the situation with regard to payments for gas deliveries. The new body will monitor consumer debt in Russian regions and develop proposals and measures for debt reduction.

The Commission will operate on a permanent basis. Its findings will be regularly reviewed by the Board of Directors.

The Gazprom Group fulfils all of its obligations to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies to all groups of consumers in the Russian Federation, including industrial and socially significant entities.

However, the large amount of outstanding debt for gas deliveries payable to Gazprom by Russian consumers remains an urgent problem. As of June 1, 2017, the aggregate arrears of consumers reached RUB 196 billion.

In light of the above, the amount of investments made by Gazprom into regional gasification programs depends on the financial discipline demonstrated by Russian regions.

The Company continues to cooperate with ministries, agencies, and non-governmental organizations to improve the national legislation related to gas payments.