"This investigation is really very beneficial to us. I think it is beneficial to all Europe and Russia itself. Russia has to start trading in a civilized way. (It has) to be a civilized partner for all countries, because it has just joined the World Trade Organization. Thus it is very beneficial for Russia itself to become a civilized participant of economic cooperation in the international arena," she told the Žinių Radijas radio station on Tuesday.
Grybauskaitė said that she expects Russia to take the probe "as a chance to become a transparent, reliable partner for the whole of Europe."
The president said that Lithuania has been overcharged for Gazprom's gas.
"Our region was and is convinced that we are paying much more than we should. Practically, we are paying a political price for gas, not a financial or economic one. And I can see that Europe begins to actually watch and protect the interests of consumers of all European countries. This is very good," she said.
Earlier this month, the European Commission opened a formal investigation into whether Gazprom might be hindering competition in Central and Eastern European gas markets, in breach of EU antitrust rules. The EU's executive body said that it would investigate three suspected activities: hindering free flow of gas between EU countries; preventing diversification of gas supply; and imposing unfair prices on customers.
Lithuania currently pays the highest price for Gazprom's natural gas in the EU, at 1,578 litas (EUR 457.4) per 1,000 cubic meters, including capacity and transportation charges.
