Gasprom assures no gas shortages in winter

Responding to claims that the dispute with its Ukrainian partner Naftogaz will result in shortages in Gazprom's natural gas supply to Turkey this winter, Gazprom officials said they do not believe the controversy will result in any shortages. Officials who spoke to the Anadolu news agency on Sunday noted that Gazprom gas has never cut off supplies to its contracted buyers, adding that whenever Turkey had experienced difficulties with its other suppliers; Gazprom always stepped in to provide gas on harsh winter days. According to the official, another advantage for Turkey is that the Blue Stream pipeline passes by Turkey, and it has already been used when Turkey needed extra gas. Officials pointed out that the company is doing its best to secure the transit passage of natural gas via Ukraine and that the company has agreed to pay transit charges to Ukraine in advance for the next two years in efforts to avoid any halt in gas supply to consumers. On July 12, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said his ministry does not expect its main supplier, Gazprom, to cut off its supplies to Turkey as a result of any trouble with Ukraine. Yildiz said, "I also don't think we will experience such cutoffs because Gazprom is one of the largest suppliers of natural gas to world markets."