Gazprom notes Poland's actions are exacerbating EU neighbors' issues on gas market

MOSCOW. May 4 (Interfax) - The actions of Poland, which has refused Russian gas and rejected the new contract-currency-to-ruble payment system for it, are exacerbating the situation on the European gas market, and are complicating and worsening the position of Poland's EU neighbors, Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov noted.

Kupriyanov recalled that, "Having refused to purchase Russian gas in rubles, Poland began receiving Russian gas via physical reverse from Germany through the Yamal-Europe pipeline, as Gazprom has previously reported."

Kupriyanov also noted that, "On May 2, Germany stopped the physical reverse of Russian gas to Poland through the Yamal-Europe pipeline. However, a virtual reverse for Poland immediately arose from the bookings of consumers in Italy and France that are provided via the Polish corridor. We see and record this."

"Specifically, Poland is injecting the gas into its underground gas storage (UGS) facilities. Meantime, Europe's UGS facilities are now 34% full on average, and Poland's UGS facilities are 80% full," the Gazprom spokesman noted separately.

Kupriyanov further noted that, "At the same time, European consumers this week have increased their bookings by 43% on average for supplies of Russian gas in transit via Ukraine."