Belarus–Russia relations

Bulgaria's biggest private gas supplier Overgas is challenging actions of Russian energy giant Gazprom in court, three months after the company faced a halt in deliveries.

At the end of December, Gazprom stopped supplying Overgas over what the Russian Foreign Ministry describes as ongoing commercial issues.

Russian energy giant Gazprom believes Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia and Serbia might put off payment for gas, oil and other kinds of fuels or not pay at all, Russian newspaper Vedomosti reports.

The daily cites documents prepared by Gazprom on the occasion of forthcoming Eurobonds issuance.  

Russia's Gazprom has unilaterally decided to hike the price of gas sold to Turkish private companies and reduced export volumes without an official explanation, a private Turkish importer said on March 1.

Enerco said the gas flow started to be reduced on Feb. 24 without any official explanation, and stressed that this reduction is against the law. 

Gazprom Export has said it is continuing negotiations with gas consumers in Turkey and aims to maintain stable contractual relations, the Russian gas giant's export arm stated on Feb. 25, according to TASS News Agency.

The head of private gas supplier Overgas on Sunday he would talk to Russian energy officials in the beginning of the week.

His first briefing for the media comes after developments in late December, when Bulgarian authorities announced Gazprom was halting supplies to Overgas on January 01.

The Bulgarian-Russian natural gas company Overgas claimed on Saturday that it has no overdue debts to any organizations, including Gazprom Export.

This statement comes in response to the dispute between Overgas and Gazprom, which threatened to leave the customers of the former without gas supplies from January 1.

Bulgarian-Russian company Overgas has denied receiving a letter from Russian energy giant Gazprom calling on it to prepared for a halt in supplies from January 1.

A statement on the company's website [BG] reads that the gas supply contract with Gazprom is in force until 2017, and Overgas abides by all of its commitments, with no overdue payment.

Facing a cold shoulder from Europe and increased competition at home, Russia's Gazprom has struggled to assert dominance on the global energy market, prompting speculation the energy giant could have no choice but to splinter.

Serbia faces new worries about its gas supply after Russia's Gazprom on July 8 said it had canceled a contract with Italy's Saipem to build the first section of the Turkish Stream Pipeline under the Black Sea.

South Stream Transport, Gazprom's subsidiary, said it would soon start negotiations with new potential contractors.

Exports of Russian gas to European markets are on the rise and will continue growing over the next 15 years, says Alexei Miller.

The Gazprom CEO spoke in Belgrade on Thursday, to also stress the need to build a new gas pipeline between Russia and Europe.