Poland calls for penalizing countries paying for Russian gas in rubles

By Huseyingulu Huseyinzade

WARSAW (AA) - Poland’s climate and environment minister on Thursday called for penalties against countries that pay for Russian natural gas in rubles.

Speaking to reporters, Anna Moskwa said that Hungary, Austria, and Germany are blocking tougher sanctions on Russia and that these countries should be held accountable by the European Commission.

Moskwa’s remarks came after Russia’s Gazprom halted gas flows to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday, saying it would keep supplies switched off until the two countries decide to pay in rubles.

Poland, with its reliance on Russia for half of its natural gas imports of 10 billion cubic meters (bcm) per annum, had already decided not to renew its contract with Gazprom, which expires at the end of the year.

Poland is planning to replace Russian gas with Norwegian gas that is set to start flowing through the Baltic pipeline as of Oct. 1, in addition to a bi-directional pipeline connecting Lithuania that will start operations as of May 1.