Photo:
EPA/FILIP SINGER
Kiev has informed the EU about readiness after Warsaw, to sue the European Commission and the European company-regulator in connection with the resolution of Gazprom to increase the gas flow through the pipeline OPAL.
Reported by the Ukrainian edition “Left coast” with reference to a diplomatic source.
“We informed our European partners, the EU leadership, if not revised a decision on OPAL, we join the claim of our Polish partners to the European Commission and the regulator,” – said the source publication.
The OPAL
The European Commission on 28 October approved the deletion of 50% of the capacity of OPAL pipeline from the Third energy package, thus, allowing the “Gazprom” to increase gas pumping to Europe. Earlier, Gazprom was entitled to only 50% of its capacity. This limitation was imposed by the European Commission in 2009. The solution will enable the Russian company to buy quota to 40 percent more capacity.
The gas pipeline OPAL with a capacity of 36 billion cubic meters gives the access to the markets of Central and Eastern Europe bypassing Ukraine. It is located in Germany and combines the Russian “North stream” gas transmission system in Central and Western Europe. The construction of the pipeline was completed in 2011. Gas at OPAL goes to Germany to the Czech border.
The presidents of Poland and Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and Andrzej Duda December 2, during the talks in Warsaw has condemned the decision of the European Commission on the OPAL. The largest Polish energy company PGNiG December 5, through its subsidiaries PST acting on the German market, challenged in the European court the decision of the EC on this pipeline.