OREANDA-NEWS Gazprom may resell gas destined for Austria to Slovakia or reduce supplies through Ukraine, the decision will remain with the Russian company, Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University and the National Energy Security Fund, expressed this opinion to RIA Novosti.

Austrian OMV announced on Friday that it expects Gazprom Export to stop gas supplies to Austria from November 16. Earlier, on November 13, OMV stated that the case on gas supplies to Germany from Gazprom Export had ended in its favor and the international arbitration awarded it 230 million euros plus interest and costs on account of payments under the contract for supply to Austria. At that time, OMV did not rule out a deterioration in contractual relations under the Austrian gas supply contract with Gazprom Export, including a possible termination of supplies.

The daily volumes of Russian gas that OMV received this year amounted to about 17 million cubic meters, which in annual terms could amount to about 6 billion cubic meters, Yushkov noted. This corresponds to about 40-45% of Gazprom's total supply through Ukraine. At the same time, for Austria, Russian gas "covered about 80% of supplies," he added.

"Of course, this is a problem for Austria now. Why did they do this?" – the expert asked himself. He called the explanations of the Austrian company incomprehensible. "How will this improve your (OMV – ed.) economic situation if you do not repay the debt that the arbitration calculated in favor of OMV, and you will not receive current supplies from Gazprom?" He continued.

Earlier, the Arbitration Court of the North-Western District banned OMV from continuing proceedings with Gazprom Export at the Arbitration Institute at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.