SLD deputies ask NIK to look into Poland’s gas supply deal with Norway

Three deputies from the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) Wieslaw Kaczmarek, Leszek Miller and Danuta Waniek are asking that the Supreme Board of Inspection (NIK) look into the expediency of concluding a deal with Norway for the supply of natural gas to Poland. The lawmakers are now claiming that gas supplied from Norway would cost Poland 30% more than natural gas shipments originating from Russia. Arguing against the contract, Kaczmarek said that Poland could look into other possibilities to up its natural gas supplies, including increasing gas extraction from sources within Poland. „Since the contract with Norway is to be finalized in July, we want to avoid all irreversible decisions," he said. "Apparently the deputies know more about the state of the negotiations than I do; the talks haven't finished yet and so far no one has said that the gas would cost 30% more," Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Steinhoff said in response to the deputies’ claims. The government has been conducting intensive negotiations with Norway since July 2000 on the construction of a gas pipeline directly connecting the the two countries. (Gazeta Wyborcza, March 3-4, p. 1; Zycie, p. 7)