“The representatives of Lithuania’s government, Gazprom and the European Commission – Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, Energy Minister Arvydas Sekmokas, Gazprom Export CEO Alexander Medvedev and Philip Lowe, director general for energy at the European Commission, have met today to discuss the government’s decision to implement the unbundling of Lithuania’s gas transmission and distribution network by the end of 2014”, a joint statement by the participants of the meeting said.
According to the statement, which was sent to BNS by the prime minister’s press service, “the discussions went on constructively so as to solve all outstanding issues”. The participants of the meeting agreed to hold another meeting by the end of March.
Kubilius and the CEO of Gazprom Export previously met in Vilnius in the beginning of February. That meeting, which centered on gas prices and the problems with the reorganization of Lithuania’s gas sector, was said to be “constructive and open” and discussions were said to be continued in future.
In line with the Law on Natural Gas, Lietuvos Dujos (Lithuanian Gas), which is controlled by Germany’s E.ON Ruhrgas and Russia’s Gazprom, shall submit a plan on the unbundling of gas transmission system to the National Control Commission for Prices and Energy by 31 March. Under this plan, gas transmission business will have to be handed over to a new owner in several years’ time.
Ownership unbundling in Lithuania’s gas sector shall be completed by the end of October 2014.
