The Polish anti-monopoly office Uokik announced on Wednesday that it had imposed a record fine of 29 billion zlotys (6.45 billion euros) on Gazprom, for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline connecting Russia and Germany.
In addition, five Western companies, engaged in the construction of the gas pipeline, the French Engie Energy, the German Uniper, the Austrian OMV, the Anglo-Dutch Shell and the German Wintershall, were also sentenced to a global fine of 234 million zlotys (52 million euros).
UOKIK accuses these companies of having created a joint venture without its agreement.
Read also: American threats to a German port ... The construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline rekindles tensions
In 2016, UOKiK considered that Nord Stream 2 could harm competition and refused to approve the consortium, before launching two years later proceedings against the six companies.
"
In accordance with the decision of the President of the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection, the entities are required to terminate the agreements concluded to finance the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline
", according to the press release from UOKiK.
Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic States are opposed to Nord Stream 2, considering that it is a “
political
”
project
.
“
Nord Stream 2 is an element of politics, of geopolitics, carried out with perseverance by the Russian Federation,
” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said last week in Brussels.
“
It is nothing more than an element of Russian geopolitics aimed at the interests not only of Poland, but of all of Central and Eastern Europe and much of the European Union, and the one of its foundations - energy solidarity,
”he said.
Following the attempted poisoning of Alexeï Navalny, the number one critic of the Kremlin, the European Union for its part raised possible sanctions against Russia, while Germany does not rule out freezing the work of Nord Stream 2. Mateusz Morawiecki explicitly made the link between the two cases.
"
I hope that today many countries will confirm that the poisoning of Mr. Navalny and Nord Stream 2 are not two separate subjects
," he insisted in Brussels.
Read also: Can the Navalny affair cut the sprawling Nord Stream network?
The pipeline is also criticized by the United States, which threatens the companies involved in its construction with sanctions.
After the fine was announced, Gazprom shares fell nearly 1.4% on the Moscow Stock Exchange.
SEE ALSO
- Emmanuel Macron calls for a “
strategic dialogue
” and “
without concession
” with Russia, from Vilnius
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