National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy remains the only importer of natural gas to Ukraine as there are no other companies that want to import gas, Business Development Director at Naftogaz Ukrainy Yuriy Vitrenko told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday.

He denied accusations that Naftogaz is hindering any increase in the number of importers.

"There are no applications to import [gas]," he said, adding that the company is interested in creating stocks over the summer period with other market operators to cover the needs of their clients in winter.

He said that there is enough natural gas on the domestic market for current consumption, while discounts on gas range from UAH 2,000 to the upper price set by the National Commission for Energy, Housing and Utilities Services Regulation (NCER, UAH 6,600 per 1,000 cubic meters, not including VAT, extra charge, transportation, distribution and supply tariffs).

Vitrenko that the gas transportation facilities from Europe to Ukraine are not fully loaded, and routes via Poland and Hungary are not currently being used.

Vitrenko said that Naftogaz Ukrainy is restricted in purchases due to a lack of idle money, and the holding supplies gas to industrial consumers on the domestic market at the upper price set by the NCER.

Commenting on the price situation on the European market, he said that the large fall in prices for oil on global markets will start pressuring the price of gas, although this factor would be partially compensated by the strengthening of the euro to the U.S. dollar exchange rate.

Asked about the litigation in the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce with Russia's Gazprom, which increased its claims against Naftogaz Ukrainy this year, Vitrenko said that Naftogaz's claims under the gas transit contract have been restricted since January 1, 2015, adding that they will be expanded.