A. Yatsenyuk: Technical, political and legal action to facilitate relationship between Naftogaz and Gazprom

Technical, political and legal action will be implemented to facilitate “rules of game” between NJSC "Naftogaz of Ukraine" and Russian Gazprom. This was started by the Prime Minister Arsenii Yatsenyik in the framework of the Tenth Annual Investment Conference on Wednesday, April 2, 2014.

He noted that the Government is considering options of such measures: "I will not go into details. We will take the right steps, and then announce them."

The Prime Minister recalled that the Russian Gazprom had announced a new gas price for Ukraine - $ 360 per thousand cubic meters. But, according to him, Ukraine has not received any official document: "Even more - Russia, in violation of international law denounced the Kharkiv agreements yesterday. They wished open the way to higher gas prices by another $ 100 – up to $ 500 per thousand cubic meters."

He said that he instructed the head of the NJSC "Naftogaz of Ukraine" to go to Moscow to discuss gas issue.

Responding to a question of a participant of the Conference on the reverse gas from Slovakia, Mr. Yatsenyuk stressed that Slovakia has the technical capabilities to start the operation of the reverse with the NJSC "Naftogaz of Ukraine".

"We expect that" Naftogaz "can get from the reverse flow up to 20 billion cubic meters of gas. Its price is lower than the Russian and now averages $ 350 per thousand cubic meters," he said.

In addition, the Prime Minister informed that he sent a letter to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso two days ago asking "to address to the partners from the EU to comply with the provisions of the Energy Charter and the Third Energy Package and support the diversification of gas supplies to Ukraine."

Arsenii Yatsenyik also denied rumors that it is necessary to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to build a new pipe: "It is not true. The truth is that Slovakia can easily provide a reverse flow to Ukraine."

"It has nothing with technical issues; it is only a political solution. We hope that our European partners take this political decision," the Prime Minister said.