G.W.: Russians behind creation of Gas Trading firm

Daily Gazeta Wyborcza reports that it has discovered documents showing that it was the Russian energy giant Gazprom that inspired the creation of Gas Trading, the third owner, after the state's Polish Oil and Gas (PGNiG) and Gazprom, holding a 4% stake in EuroPol Gaz, which manages the Polish section of the controversial Yamal pipeline connecting Western Europe with Russian oil reserves. The paper maintains that Gas Trading, in which Gazprom holds a 35% stake, PGNiG a 30% share, and Aleksander Gudzowaty's Bartimpex a 25% stake, was created at the last minute to meet requirements of Polish law, which in 1993 stipulated that no less than three legal entities could create a joint-stock company. In this way, the company became the decisive party controlling EuroPol Gaz, as PGNiG and Gazprom each hold 48% in the company. PGNiG is now struggling to remove Gas Trading from EuroPol Gaz, after a government commission declared that because of EuroPol Gaz's ownership structure, Polish interests were jeopardized. Meanwhile, Miedzynarodowy Konsorcjum and PGNiG have signed a letter of intent to construct a new pipeline, after choosing three possible routes for it, all of which bypass Ukraine, according to Interfax. A final decision on one of the routes should be made by mid-April. (Gazeta Wyborcza, pp.1,18,19; Rzeczpospolita, p.B1) M.K.