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Lithuania against Gazprom's influence on possible LNG terminal building in Latvia

Petras Vaida, BC, Vilnius, 08.02.2011.Print version
Lithuania expressed concern related to a liquefied gas terminal construction in Latvia, which could undermine energy independence of the Baltic countries, The Lithuania Tribune reports. The terminal in Latvia could be built by companies related to Gazprom, as Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius pointed out at a press conference held on February 7.

"We cannot plan liquefied gas terminals in the Baltic States without ensuring that they would not be used for export. There is only one condition – the public management of gas mains and liquefied gas terminals that really work for imports and not for exports, including that of Gazprom. In this respect, as you know, Latvia has no plans for the total control of its gas mains," Kubilius said.

 

"In case if the terminal is built by a Gazprom subsidiary, Gazprom would have influence on it, which is unacceptable in Lithuania's opinion. It would not form an actual gas supplies alternative," Ceslovas Stankevicius, Chairman of the Lithuanian Parliament's European Affairs Committee told.

 

According to media reports, Itera Latvia has expressed its interest to invest into the LNG Terminal in Latvia. The company is Gazprom's subsidiary that operated Latvian Gas together with Gazprom and E.On Ruhrgas, writes LETA/ELTA.

 

There have been no official reports in Latvia about investors to the project, with great interest expressed by Itera Latvia, the Russian company's subsidiary that operates Latvia's gas utility Latvijas Gaze together with Gazprom and E.On Ruhrgas.

 

The issue will be discussed at a meeting of the three Baltic prime ministers in Estonia later this week.






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