Greece’s DEPA concludes payment to Gazprom for April gas supplies -report

ATHENS (Reuters) -DEPA Commercial, Greece’s biggest gas importer, has paid Russian gas producer Gazprom in euros for April natural gas supplies, the semi-state Athens News Agency reported on Monday.

State-controlled DEPA Commercial has a gas supply contract with Gazprom which expires in 2026.

The transaction was concluded in line with May 19 guidelines by the European Commission, without breaching sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and EU decisions, the report said, citing unnamed sources.

The debate over Russia’s demand that foreign buyers pay for gas in roubles has tested the resolve of European governments to take a hard line against Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

Poland, Bulgaria and Finland have refused to comply with Moscow’s demand that importers pay for gas via rouble accounts with Gazprombank and their supplies have been cut.

(Reporting by Angeliki KoutantouEditing by Chris Reese and Grant McCool)