European Commission to discuss reverse gas supplies from Slovakia to Ukraine

Meeting of the European Commission to address the issue of opening reverse gas route from Slovakia to Ukraine will take place on September 24, energy and coal industry minister of Ukraine Eduard Stavytsky told a briefing in the Cabinet of Ministers, ForUm correspondent reports.

"You know that our capacities are limited in the volume of approximately 15-20 million cubic meters per twenty-four hours. These are routes through Poland and Hungary. Currently, the issue of reverse supply from Slovakia is being considered. September 24 there will be a meeting of the Commission chaired by Günther Oettinger, attended by the experts from the Slovak and the Ukrainian parties and the independent experts to decide which way we are to solve the issue," Stavytsky said.

According to him, the issue of reverse gas supplies to Ukraine was discussed during a meeting in Brussels.

"September 3 in Brussels, I had a meeting with Commissioner Oettinger. During the visit, we discussed the issue of creating a common European market and foreign energy policy for Europe. One of the key priorities of our cooperation is the reverse gas supplies from Europe and the establishment of the East European gas hub in our territory. At present, we are actively working on the issue of reverse supply of natural gas through the existing transport capacity," the minister said.

According to him, during the meeting there was also discussed the Eastern European gas hub. "Much attention during the talks in Brussels was given to the creation of Eastern European gas hub in Ukraine. To do this, we have also to consider the issue concerning the rules and laws that we need to adjust so that we can approach this situation," the minister said, adding that Ukraine's proposal for re-opening of a new route through Romania to Ukraine was supported.