Gazprom: Chisinau's debt confirmed by decisions made in int'l arbitration and Gazprom/Moldovagaz protocols

MOSCOW. Sept 6 (Interfax) - Gazprom insists the sum of Moldova's debt for shipped gas has been confirmed by bilateral documents from both the supplier and the buyer, as well as commercial arbitration decisions.

This is how Gazprom commented on the statement from the Moldovan Ministry of Energy on the results of the audit of the historical debt of Moldovagaz to Gazprom for gas supplied to consumers on the right bank of the Dniester river in Moldova.

"It should be noted that the auditor's report was not approved by the Supervisory Board of JSC Moldovagaz, as provided for in agreements between Gazprom and the Government of the Republic of Moldova. In any case, as we already noted, the auditor and the terms of the tender for the purchase of the company's services were unilaterally determined by Moldova without agreement from Gazprom and Moldovagaz," Gazprom said.

"The auditor's conclusions cannot in any way influence the size and validity of the specified debt, especially since it is confirmed in the documents regularly signed by Gazprom and Moldovagaz and in the relevant decisions of international arbitration," the Russian company said.

"Gazprom categorically disagrees with the statements of the Moldovan side and intends to continue to defend its rights in every possible way," the company said.