Hungary's Russian gas supply running smoothly -minister

Szijjarto said Hungary's next payment was due on May 22 and the country would transfer funds in euros to Gazprombank to be converted into roubles. Hungary receives 3.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas per year via Bulgaria and Serbia under its long-term deal with Russia, and a further one bcm via a pipeline from Austria.

Hungary is receiving Russian gas as normal via Serbia and Bulgaria despite a clash between the latter and Russian gas supplier Gazprom, Hungary's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Gazprom said on Wednesday it had halted deliveries to Bulgaria and Poland due to an absence of payments in roubles. "I want to assure everyone that the non-delivery of gas shipments to Bulgaria does not mean halt in-transit shipments via Bulgaria," Peter Szijjarto said on his Facebook page.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on "unfriendly" countries to pay for gas imports in roubles, a demand only a few buyers have complied with, including Hungary, which signed a long-term gas supply deal with Russia last year. Szijjarto said Hungary's next payment was due on May 22 and the country would transfer funds in euros to Gazprombank to be converted into roubles.

Hungary receives 3.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year via Bulgaria and Serbia under its long-term deal with Russia, and a further one bcm via a pipeline from Austria. The agreement with Gazprom is for 15 years, with an option to modify purchased quantities after 10 years.