MOSCOW/CHISINAU, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Moldova has paid for Russian natural gas it received in October and the first half of November, Moldovagaz said in a statement, averting a possible crisis over a payment dispute.

Moldovagaz said earlier this week that the Russian energy giant Gazprom had threatened to cut off gas supplies to the country within 48 hours unless Moldova paid for recent deliveries. Gazprom on Wednesday agreed to postpone the deadline.

Kremlin-controlled Gazprom confirmed it had received the money from Moldova on Friday.

"The problem has been solved," Gazprom's spokesman, Sergei Kupriyanov, said in a statement.

Haggling over a new long-term energy supply deal between Moldova and Russia had tipped Moldova nation into crisis last month but appeared to be resolved when both sides struck a new deal.

However, on Monday, Moldovagaz received a notification from Gazprom threatening to cut off gas supplies to the country within 48 hours unless Moldova pays $73 million for recent deliveries.

To solve the debt crisis, Moldovan's parliament on Thursday approved budget amendments that will allow the national energy company to pay energy dues to Gazprom and avert the crisis.

(Reporting by Alexander Tanas and Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Louise Heavens)