The European Union has admitted Ukrainian GTS as the main transit line to receive gas. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko announced at a press conference,
Government portal reported.
“The EU continues to view Ukraine as the single strategic partner-transiter,” she stressed.
At this, Yulia Tymoshenko noted yesterday’s conference in Brussels dedicated to the issues of modernization and reconstruction of Ukrainian GTS has put an end to rumours that Ukraine is bypassed with alternative gas mains.
“The fact that today the EU and biggest world corporations are ready to give credits to Ukraine for modernization and reconstruction of GTS proves that during the following decades our GTS will be transporting key amount of gas to the EU,” the Head of Government emphasized and added, nowadays Ukraine is transporting 80% of all the Russian gas to the states of Europe.
Yulia Tymoshenko imparted Ukrainian GTS will remain the state property and reminded owing to involvement of the Government in 2008 – onset of 2009 a risk of bankruptcy of gas transport system had been ceased, it had been deprived of shadow schemes and corruption: “Nowadays the GTS is operating without any mediators, it is financially balanced”.
The Prime Minister also noted signing of the joint statement between Ukraine and the EU on modernization of the GTS gives chance to Russia to participate in this process: “Yesterday neither Russia nor Europe has lost, Ukraine has just protected its national interests, protected its main transit gas line”.
Yulia Tymoshenko added the Gov’t will further assert national interests, in particular with regards to the main transit line: “GTS is the treasure of Ukraine, energy independence of Ukraine, confidence in the fact we will always be with energy carriers, it is our possibility to influence energy policy of the whole region, including Russia and the European Union. GTS gives Ukraine confidence in today and tomorrow”.
