EuroPol Gaz calls on Russia's Gazprom to compensate it over EUR 1 bln
Europol Gaz, the owner of the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline, has called on Russian natural gas giant Gazprom to arbitrate over compensation claims worth around PLN 6 billion (EUR 1.32 billion) in total, a Polish minister has said.
Jacek Sasin, a deputy prime minister and state assets minister, told a state-owned TV channel on Thursday night that Europol Gaz seeks compensation from Gazprom for losses caused by Russia halting gas flows to Poland.
"Europol Gaz, the company responsible for the transmission of gas, filed an arbitration case against Gazprom for the return of around PLN 850 million (EUR 187 million) in overdue payments for gas transmission," Sasin said.
He argued that Waldemar Pawlak, a Polish deputy prime minister in 2007-2012, "donated this money to the Russians in 2010, he did not pursue this money, which also shows how that government... bowed to the Russians, but on the condition that the Russians would send this gas by 2045 and Europol Gaz would make money on it.
"The gas that was supposed to flow through Poland does not flow, therefore Poland has the right to demand a refund," Sasin added.
He said that in the arbitration process, EuRoPol Gaz will also demand over PLN 5 billion (EUE 1.1 bln) for the estimated profits it is set to lose by 2045, the year until "when the Russians committed to transmit gas through Polish territory."
