KIEV, Feb. 6 – Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the national energy company, on Thursday urged local governments and municipal utilities and gas distributors to quickly pay their natural gas debts.

"If consumers do not observe the conditions of agreements Naftogaz Ukrayiny will have to restrict supplies of natural gas and block accounts of persistent non-payers via courts," the company said in a statement.

The company said that under the requirements of Ukrainian law natural gas is sold in Ukraine only if natural gas consumers pay for gas consumed in full.