AUSTRIA is having second thoughts about the rising sales of Russian natural gas given the suffering of its NATO-member neighbours who boycott trade with Russia, reports Bloomberg.
Russian pipelines supplied 98 per cent of Austria's gas demand in December.
'We cannot simply accept that the proportion of Russian gas is increasing instead of decreasing,' said Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler.
Ms Gewessler said experts would examine whether the contract between state-owned OMV AG and Gazprom can be abrogated. austria is currently pays for Russian gas under contract till 2040.
Altering contract would require a new law backed by a super majority in Austria's parliament. With national elections scheduled for later this year, the biggest opposition parties said they're not inclined to support Ms Gewessler's proposal.
The proposal threatens to 'harm our own population without changing Russia's behavior,' said Austria's Freedom Party, which currently leads in national polls.
The opposition Social Democrats similarly wrote that their party isn't ready to support the proposal.
Fuel shipped through pipelines from Russia is cheaper than liquefied natural gas and those long-term Gazprom contracts provide stable energy costs.
SeaNews Turkey
Russian pipelines supplied 98 per cent of Austria's gas demand in December.
'We cannot simply accept that the proportion of Russian gas is increasing instead of decreasing,' said Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler.
Ms Gewessler said experts would examine whether the contract between state-owned OMV AG and Gazprom can be abrogated. austria is currently pays for Russian gas under contract till 2040.
Altering contract would require a new law backed by a super majority in Austria's parliament. With national elections scheduled for later this year, the biggest opposition parties said they're not inclined to support Ms Gewessler's proposal.
The proposal threatens to 'harm our own population without changing Russia's behavior,' said Austria's Freedom Party, which currently leads in national polls.
The opposition Social Democrats similarly wrote that their party isn't ready to support the proposal.
Fuel shipped through pipelines from Russia is cheaper than liquefied natural gas and those long-term Gazprom contracts provide stable energy costs.
SeaNews Turkey
