Naftogaz pays UAH 67.5 bln to national budget in H1 2017

National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy in January-June 2017 paid UAH 67.5 billion of taxes and dividends to the national budget, the company's press service reported on Wednesday.

Payments from Naftogaz group correspond to 17% of total revenues of the national budget in the first half of 2017.

This amount is only 8.8% less than the group’s contributions to the national budget for the 12 months of 2016 (UAH 74 billion).

"This amount of payments is more than sufficient for the government's financing a system of subsidies for protected gas consumers. In the first half of 2017, state budget obligations to suppliers of gas and heat produced from gas, on the basis of subsidies, including the volumes not financed in 2016, amounted to UAH 49.2 billion, of which UAH 29.5 billion has been financed. The non-funded balance is UAH 19.7 billion, which leads to an increase in the debt of suppliers for the gas supplied by Naftogaz," the report said.

The press service said that Naftogaz continues to supply gas to all vulnerable consumers under its public service obligations imposed by the Cabinet of Ministers.

"However, consistent and significant delays in payments for the supplied gas put at risk the accumulation of gas reserves necessary to ensure secure gas supply during the winter season 2017-2018," the company said.