Poland seizes Russian gas assets

Warsaw has obliged the Polish subsidiary of the Russian energy giant Novatek to transfer its gas infrastructure to the nation’s state companies, Government Spokesperson Piotr Müller said on Friday. Novatek, which is on Poland’s sanctions list, on Thursday stopped gas supplies to some of the country’s regions.

“Today Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki requested state companies PGNiG, PSG and Gaz-System to immediately supply gas to grids formally owned by Novatek, on the basis of the crisis management law,” Müller said.

He added that by the order of the prime minister, Novatek’s subsidiary Novatek Green Energy is obliged to transfer the networks to those companies, which will then supply gas to the cut-off municipalities.

READ MORE: Poland still buying Russian gas – Gazprom

According to the spokesperson, the transfer process will start immediately. “It all depends, of course, on whether there will be resistance from Novatek and its employees. If there is such, then in accordance with the law on anti-crisis management, we can apply coercive means,” Müller explained.

On Thursday, Polish authorities said that several dozen municipalities had been left without liquefied gas after sanctions-hit Novatek suspended supplies. Poland had earlier imposed sanctions on 50 Russian legal entities and individuals, including energy companies.

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