Gazprom Issued Request To Polish Watchdog To Stop Nord Stream 2 Antitrust Investigation

Russian energy giant Gazprom has issued a notice of opposition to the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) with regard to the watchdog's position on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, as well as a request to stop the antitrust investigation against participants of the project, the company said in its Russian Accounting Standards report for the second quarter.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2018) Russian energy giant Gazprom has issued a notice of opposition to the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) with regard to the watchdog's position on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, as well as a request to stop the antitrust investigation against participants of the project, the company said in its Russian Accounting Standards report for the second quarter.

In May, UOKiK initiated proceedings against Gazprom, Frances ENGIE, Austrias OMV, UK-Denmarks Royal Dutch Shell, and Germanys Uniper and Wintershall over Nord Stream 2's financing, which allegedly violates Polands antitrust law. Gazprom was expected to provide a response by the end of May.

"On June 15 2018, PJSC Gazprom issued to UOKiK objections to the Polish antitrust authority's position, and petitioned for the closure of the antitrust investigation procedure," the report read.

The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction of two gas pipelines that will run from the Russian coast, through the Baltic Sea and and to a hub in Germany, bypassing Ukraine entirely, and delivering up to 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe every year.

On Tuesday, Nord Stream 2 Chief Project Officer Henning Kothe said he hoped that the project would be implemented efficiently and in a timely manner due to the cooperation between all sides involved.