The failure of Warsaw to extend the contract on gas transit through the territory of Poland poses a threat to the supply of fuel to European countries. This was stated by Deputy Chairman of Russian Gazprom Alexander Medvedev an interview with Reuters.
“We heard that Poland does not intend to prolong the transit contract. This threatens the supply to European countries, including Germany,” he said. However, Medvedev said that Gazprom has no plans to reduce or to stop the transit of gas through Poland.
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and development of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki, commenting on the words of Medvedev called Gazprom as an unreliable partner. In his opinion, this statement demonstrates the willingness of the Russian company to halt gas supplies to Europe.
“It also shows how true was the decision of [former Polish President] Lech Kaczynski about the construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal in świnoujście, which we opened a few months ago,” he added.
Russian gas supplied to Poland under a long-term contract valid until 2022. It allows Warsaw to buy from “Gazprom” to 10.2 billion cubic meters of gas annually.
In late December, the head of the Polish energy company PGNiG Piotr Wozniak said blocking decisions of the European Commission on increased access for Gazprom to the OPAL pipeline. Earlier official representative the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Poland Joanna Wajda said that the government had filed a complaint to the European court on the relevant decision of the EC.
Warsaw believes that it leads to a concentration on one source of supply, which is contrary to the principle of diversification and threatens to breach or termination of gas supply.
