Poland: Will fight with ‘all means’ to block Gazprom’s EU antitrust deal

Poland aims to use “all legal means” to block the European Union’s proposed terms for settling its antitrust investigation into Russian gas company Gazprom, the country’s foreign minister said on Wednesday.

EU competition regulators said on Monday that concessions made by Gazprom following charges that it has abused it dominant position in central and eastern European gas supply markets should ease concerns of market abuse, while Poland and other eastern EU countries wanted a tougher line taken by Brussels.

If it comes into force, the legally-binding deal would entail Gazprom doing away with supply terms which bar importing countries from re-exporting its gas to other countries, tying contracts to investments in pipelines, and making its pricing fairer in supplying the three Baltic states, Bulgaria and Poland, where currently there is little competition.

Poland’s Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski reiterated that Warsaw has always been opposed to Gazprom gaining a greater share of the European gas market.

“We believe that the Russians will use their supplies as an instrument of political influence,” Waszczykowski told reporters at a joint news conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Pavlo Klimkin.

“It’s a pity that our idea has not found an understanding in the European Commission,” he said, referring to Poland’s own proposals for a settlement with Gazprom.

Full Content: Financial Times

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