The Minister of Fuel and Energy Complex Ivan Plachkov states impossibility to hand over Ukrainian pipelines to the International Gas Consortium, "Ukrainska pravda" reported.
He said that to Ukrainian journalist in Brussels Wednesday.
“Current agreement between Ukraine and Russia implies handing over of pipelines but this provision does not comply with Ukrainian legislation that’s why it is not executed,” pointed out Plachkov.
“These pipelines are the property of Ukraine. We can only hand over new land we will jointly build on,” added the minister.
According to him, such position of Ukrainian party was confirmed at the meeting with top Gazprom managers.
Plachkov also said Ukraine had informed EU on the situation with pumping gas in the subsurface storages.
“We have given objective information that we are going to pump 16,5 billion cubic meters to undersurface storage with the total volume of 23,5 billion. It will be enough for Ukrainian customers and will secure transit of gas to European countries. They listened to us and now have no objections and worries,” said Ukrainian minister.
Besides Ukrainian party informed Euro-Commissar of the concluded agreement with Russian partners on additional pumping of 2 billion cubic meters of gas to undersurface storages.
Commenting on Italian premier Romano Prodi’s concerns regarding no-break transit of Russian gas through the territory of Ukraine, Plachkov noted such declarations were aroused by events happened early in the year. Besides, these declarations, according to Plachkov, are addressed to Russian partners.
“We do not have jural relations with Italian side but we do have obligations to Gazprom. European countries in their turn have agreements with Gazprom. That’s why I think they address Russian side than Ukraine,” he said.
The minister also refuted statement that Ukraine was a “weak link” in the transit of Russian gas to Europe.
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