Reduction in gas purchases from Gazprom

Yesterday, the management of Polish Oil and Gas (PGNiG) signed an appendix to its contract with Russian Gazprom for gas deliveries until 2020, according to which, Poland will buy 143.4 billion cubic meters instead of the 218.9 billion cubic meters agreed to earlier. The appendix was initially to be signed before the end of February 2003; however, the Russian side had doubts at that time and in March the prosecutor analyzed the contract. Afterwards, opposition deputies began to express reservations concerning the agreement, which resulted in PGNiG's hesitation. Yesterday, company president Michał Kwiatkowski explained to Rzeczpospolita that, "the appendix could not be signed while it was being analyzed by the prosecutor." After signing the document, Kwiatkowski will be allowed to resign from his current position and become president of EuRoPol Gaz, a company that is constructing and managing the Polish section of the Yamal pipeline. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B4) M.M.