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Polish president, PM to attend launch of Baltic Pipe gas link

27.09.2022 06:30
Poland's president and prime minister are expected to attend Tuesday's launch of the undersea Baltic Pipe gas pipeline, which aims to connect Poland with Norwegian gas fields via Denmark.
Photo:
Photo:PAP/Paweł Supernak

The opening ceremony will also be attended by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Norway's Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Aasland, and the European Commission's Director General for Energy, Ditte Juul Jørgensen, according to the Polish Prime Minister's Office.

The Baltic Pipe, which is part of Warsaw’s efforts to diversify gas supplies and end the country’s energy dependence on Russia, is due to start operating on October 1, according to officials.

It is ultimately expected to have the capacity to carry 10 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Norway to Poland via Denmark annually.

Russia’s energy giant Gazprom in April suspended gas deliveries to Poland after the country refused to pay in Russian roubles amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, according to officials.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters that his country had sufficient reserves and alternative supply routes after Russia said it was suspending gas supplies to Poland under a long-term contract.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in April that Gazprom's decision to stop delivering gas to European customers was "yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail."

Polish President Andrzej Duda in 2019 described the Baltic Pipe as “a strategic project for Poland’s energy transformation, as well as for the energy security of the entire Central and Eastern Europe region.”

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP