Gastrade head says Greece can do without Russian gas

Greece should not fear problems with Russian gas supplies because the country will be able to survive without it or thanks to its import from other countries. Gastrade CEO Kostis Sifneos said on January 4.

"Greece does not need to fear disruptions in the supply of Russian natural gas," ERTNews TV channel quoted Sifneos as saying.

He specified that Greece is able to buy gas from other countries due to a reliable supply system, as the country has two liquefied natural gas regasification terminals in Revitus and Alexandroupolis.

Sifneos also added that thanks to these terminals, Greece will be able to import more than 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas into the country.

"The demand for gas in the Greek market is about 6 billion cubic meters and the capacity to import without Russian gas is almost double the needs the country may have," Sifneos said.

He noted that the Alexandroupolis terminal is capable of supplying gas to countries other than Greece, as it is able to receive more fuel than the country needs. Bulgaria, Serbia, North Macedonia, Hungary, Romania and Hungary will probably be able to use this terminal.

There is no more gas transit through Ukraine. What the media say

Earlier, on January 2, former Greek Energy Minister Panayiotis Lafazanis called the decision of the EU and Ukraine to stop the transit of Russian natural gas through Ukrainian territory to European countries criminal. According to him, this murderous decision is leading Europe to ruin and Ukraine to death.

Before that, on January 2, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that the halting of gas supplies from Russia through Ukraine weakens the EU's economic potential. The diplomat stressed that the Russian side had fulfilled all its obligations under the contract with Naftohaz Ukrayiny. In his turn, a member of the Verkhovna Rada, Artem Dmytruk, said that Ukraine would face big problems after its decision to refuse to transit Russian gas through its territory. He pointed out that Ukraine would lose revenues from transit, which previously amounted to $800m per year.

On January 1, 2025, Gazprom stopped supplying fuel to Europe through the Ukrainian gas transportation system.

In August 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (his term of office expired in May of that year) said that Ukraine would not extend the gas transit agreement with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that Moscow was not giving up gas supplies through Ukraine.