Brussels, 08/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - The Ukrainian gas group, Naftogaz, concurs entirely with the suggestion made by the Commissioner for Energy Union, Maros Sefcovic, at the end of December 2014, to set up a trilateral follow-up mission between Russia, Ukraine and the EU, to verify gas flows from each of the 18 gas metering stations that measures gas supplies crossing Ukraine's borders.
On Wednesday 7 January, the CEO of Naftogaz, Andriy Kobolyev, stated, “Having the international monitors in place is the best way to ensure that all the parties concerned receive reliable information and we have no emergency situations this winter”.
Naftogaz fully respects the protocol for an agreement on supplies of Russian gas to the Ukraine for the winter of 2014/2015, concluded on 30 October last, with the mediation of the EU, and continues to ensure reliable gas supplies through the Ukraine, explained the Ukrainian gas company. It also said that it was prepared to work with the Commission and the Russian gas company Gazprom to put in place gas flow follow-up mechanisms as soon as possible.
Following the trilateral agreement of 30 October, the Ukrainian government called for the reintroduction of the gas monitoring mechanism set up in January 2009. Following a year of significant reforms in the Ukrainian gas industry, focusing on measures to increase transparency and improve efficiency, Naftogaz is determined to be a reliable partner to the EU, as well as a transiting and storage centre that benefits the energy security of the whole region. Kobolyev concluded, “We realise that following a decade of near-constant disagreement between Ukraine and Russia over gas, there is an issue of trust in the EU towards us and our system”.
The Ukrainian gas transport network Ukrtransgaz is a Naftogaz subsidiary and since November 2014 has been publishing data on the European Network of Gas Suppliers and Transporters (ENSTOE-G) about daily flows of gas transited in Ukraine. (EH)