Ukraine will be able to receive gas through Slovakia in late 2013, says Oettinger
Ukraine will be able to receive natural gas from Europe via Slovakia at the end of 2013, EU Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger has said.
"I'm expecting a corridor for reverse gas transit via Slovakia to be opened next winter," he said in an interview with the Kommersant-Ukraine newspaper.
According to him, Kyiv has received the possibility of reverse gas supplies through Poland and Hungary. In addition, the European Commission is working to ensure Ukraine's supplying gas through Slovakia and from LNG terminals in the Mediterranean Sea and the Netherlands.
"We're working to increase the number of ways that will enable you to receive gas from LNG terminals in the Mediterranean Sea and the Netherlands. Indeed, there was a problem as the government in Bratislava did not allow a reverse, but this was an isolated case. I'm in contact with the government of Slovakia. Ask Yuriy Boiko [Ukraine Vice Prime Minister] - I am sure he will say he appreciates how well the European Commission and personally Commissioner Oettinger are working to resolve this problem," said Oettinger.
At the same time, the European Commissioner said he doubts there will be natural gas transit flows through Ukraine from Turkmenistan to the EU in the coming years.
"There are certain contacts, but I'm sure that in this decade Turkmen gas won't be transported to the EU, despite the fact we want to get access to this source of gas, for which we are holding talks on the so called south corridor through Azerbaijan. And perhaps the way will cross Ukraine. I know that there are direct contacts between your government and Ashgabat. We are also involved in this work and are informing your government about our bilateral contacts and agreements," he said.
