Poland seeks to get information on Yamal-Europe 2 gas pipeline

Poland would like to get more detailed information on the Yamal-Europe-2 gas pipeline project, Vice-Prime Minister Janusz Piechocinski said. In an interview with the local radio station on Thursday, Piechocinski said Russian President Vladimir Putin had called for resuming the project. “If we’re resuming the construction of the gas pipeline within the East-West line, Poland should show interest in it because we’ll be able to make money in transit,” the vice-prime minister said. At the same time, he said, “At the moment it is not clear what is Russia’s concrete proposal.” “It is not clear if Russia means the Yamal second element or the 1990’s agreements. Or we’ll return to the project under which we’ll connect with the gas pipeline in Slovakia via Poland. The second variant is more probable,” Piechocinski said. “Maybe, what it involves is an additional gas pipeline via Poland. It should pass Ukraine. Poland is very careful with hand play between Russia and Ukraine and does not want to participate in a big dispute,” he added. The Polish vice-prime minister hopes to receive answers at the Baltic Sea Forum in St. Petersburg. The Polish vice-prime minister will take part in the summit. “If this is rational, we’ll take a political decision,” he added. Piechocinski voiced doubts over the need to double the pipeline. “Neither Poland’s economy nor Europe’s one make signals to the growing need for Russian gas,” the vice-prime minister said. On Wednesday, April 3, Putin asked Gazprom to return to the Yamal-Europe-2 gas pipeline project and assess again the possibility of implementing it. “We have basically given up the Yamal-Europe-2 project in connection with North Stream and South Stream. We have practically started work under South Stream and I would like to ask you to return to the Yamal-Europe-2 project,” Putin said at a meeting with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller. The president said the project would increase the reliability of gas supply to Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.