Baltic States – CIS, Energy, EU – Baltic States, Gas, Legislation, Lithuania

On Friday, Deputy Head of Gazprom and Chairman of the Board of Lietuvos Dujos Valery Golubev said that the gas prices for Latvia and Estonia that promised to increase the quantity of purchased gas to the pre-crisis level were reduced by 15%, whereas the gas prices for Lithuania would not be reduced. According to Kubilius, if it appeared that this was the official Gazprom's positions, it could be considered as an attack against the entire EU.

"We will inform the EU heads, because in this respect, Lithuania finds itself in a certain situation. If we fail to implement the EU directives, then the European Commission will have every opportunity to punish us under the EU law. But Lithuania is member of the EU, therefore, this is an attack not against Lithuania, but against the entire EU. And the EU has the duty and responsibility to consider what the reaction should be in such a case," Prime Minister Kubilius said in an interview. If it appears that Gazprom Sticks to the position not to Reduce gas prices for Lithuania Because the latter seek to Implement the Third EU Directive, This Could Be considered economic blackmail, Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said on Monday.

"I would not say that Lietuvos Dujos is equally representing all the shareholders, it is more in favour of Gazprom interests. There were no real negotiations, it was a unilaterally set price," Energy Minister Sekmokas said.

The minister tends not to rush with evaluations; instead, he suggests waiting for the beginning of the next year, when it will become clear how much the final consumers will have to pay, writes LETA/ELTA.

"15% is not necessarily a significant relief for Latvia and Estonia, as compared with the prices that consumers pay in Germany," Sekmokas said. Out of public statements the minister made conclusions that Golubev did not like the objectives to implement the Third EU Directive, to ensure competition in the gas market and thus eliminate monopoly in the sector.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius evaluated Golubev's' statements more categorically.

The head of the Government said he intended to inform the European Commission about that and assured that such steps would only encourage Lithuania to more actively implement the Third EU Directive.