Commission finds Yamal gas cable should not be leased for telecom purposes

A special government commission found that Poland's agreements with Russia regarding the Yamal gas pipeline provide no legal basis for offering international telecommunications services through the fiber-optic cable built along the pipeline. The pipeline and the cable belong to EuRoPol Gaz S.A., in which the state-controlled company Polish Gas and Oil Mining (PGNiG) holds a 48% stake. EuRoPol had intended to lease the cable, which according to the commission may serve to transfer large amounts of data, to PolGaz for the purpose of providing commercial telecom services. The commission recommends that EuRoPol Gaz withdraw from the lease agreement with PolGaz, as this would allow the Polish Treasury to regain control over the communications infrastructure built for the purposes of the pipeline. However, Economy Minister Janusz Steinhoff notes that it is too early for any definite conclusions. "The commission will keep working, there are piles of documents that need to be examined". (Gazeta Wyborcza, November 25-26, p.1, Zycie, p.6) T.J.