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Ministry: Compensation for Damage Incurred by Gas Crisis Unlikely
Monday 23 November 2009 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Slovakia's chances to receive compensation for damage caused by the gas crisis in January 2009 is negligible, as Slovakia is not a party involved in the gas-supply contracts concerning, head of the Economy Ministry's gas section Jan Petrovic said at a conference devoted to the EU's energy policies and Slovakia's energy security in Bratislava on Monday.
"(Slovak gas utility) Slovensky Plynarensky Priemysel (SPP), a.s., and Gazpromexport company are parties to these contracts. We're aware that some negotiations have been held," said Petrovic in reference to arbitration proceedings over damage that Slovak companies sustained on the back of the gas crisis.
Russia made it clear following the crisis that "force majeure" was to blame, he noted. "This is probably why the negotiations didn't go any further," Petrovic added. "We've been saying at all negotiations and at all levels that we have a contract with Gazpromexport, or Russia, and we pay world prices for gas. We pay on time, and thus we want contracts to be fulfilled."
However, he noted that although contracts were violated amid the crisis in January, as far as he knows, Russia is unlikely to pay out any compensation.
In reference to possible arbitration, SPP board member Hans-Gilbert Meyer said that the matter hasn't been concluded as yet and talks with Russia are under way in this respect.
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