The permission of the European Commission to increase gas flow to Gazprom through OPAL pipeline, bypassing Ukraine, is the violation of the Agreement of Association between Ukraine and the European Union, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Elena Zerkal said during the meeting with Head of EU Mission to Ukraine Hugo Mingarelli, MFA press-office reports.
“Taking decisions of this type without having preliminary consultations with the Ukrainian party is the violation of the Article 274 of EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which stipulates the mutual consideration by parties of potential and capacities of the energy infrastructure of each other”, - MFA of Ukraine said in the message.
In addition, Zerkal said that, during the process of preparation of such decisions, the European Commission should observe obligations, undertaken by EU under its participation in the Agreement on Creation of the Energy Society, in particular, observe solidarity principles in relationships with Ukraine and other partner states as well as prevent the approval of decisions, which would contradict with EU antimonopoly legislation.
The European Commission reportedly provided the Russian concern “Gazprom” with wider access to OPAL gas pipeline, which will allow Russia to pump more gas to Europe, bypassing Ukraine.
