PM Miller expected to discuss trade balance and gas issues in Moscow
Prime Minister Leszek Miller started a two-day visit to Moscow yesterday, the main subject of which is to be Polish-Russian trade. Earlier, Tadeusz Iwinski, head of PM's office, told journalists that the main goal of the trip is to improve the trade balance between Poland and Russia, and to safeguard participation of Polish companies in investment projects in Russia. Poland's deficit in trade with Russia amounts to about USD 3.5bn. Iwinski also said that during the visit, PM would also discuss natural gas supplies for Poland, although no final decision is expected. Iwinski said that during the Moscow visit of Deputy Prime Minister Marek Pol earlier this month, it had been decided that decision would be made by a team of experts in January. On Dec 17, Marek Kossowski, a Deputy Economy Minister responsible for the energy sector, said that the Russians would like to make changes in the shareholder structure of EuRoPol Gaz, the operator of the Polish stretch of the Yamal gas pipeline, from the current 48%/48% to 70%/30% in favour of the Russian shareholder, if Poland does not guarantee USD 280mn for construction of three gas pumping stations that would allow for increasing the pipeline's capacity to 33bn cubic meters. ISB, kp,bb
Źródło:Polski IntelliNews
