Premier says Naftogaz will pump required amount of gas into underground depots, pay for it in full

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has denied reports of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine's inability to pump the necessary amount of natural gas into underground storage facilities and pay for it in full.

"Don't listen to any experts. Gas will be pumped and will be paid for," she said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday.

Speaking about President Viktor Yushchenko's statement on Naftogaz's difficult financial situation made earlier that day, she said: "This is another case of hysteria, which has no grounds behind."

Tymoshenko said that such an assessment by Yushchenko would have a negative effect on the credit ratings of Naftogaz and the state.

Yushchenko said that Naftogaz of Ukraine would manage to meet its commitments and buy imported gas if the government reforms the company and the country's energy market within 30 days. He said that the company's loan liabilities had reached UAH 59.8 billion, while the company's income forecast for this year is UAH 59 billion (UAH 7.61 / USD 1).

He recalled that the payment for gas supplied by Russia's Gazprom in May had been made through UAH 3.8 billion issued by the National Bank of Ukraine, which helped Oschadbank provide a loan to Naftogaz through the refinancing mechanism. "There are currently no other funds," Yushchenko added.

UKRINFORM