WARSAW — Poland's prime minister fired his treasury minister on Friday for failing to supervise the country's gas monopoly, PGNiG, and its dealings with Russia's Gazprom.
The government was embarrassed earlier this month after premier Donald Tusk and Treasury Minister Mikolaj Budzanowski learned from media reports that a company controlled by PGNiG and Gazprom signed a memorandum to build a second segment of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline via Poland.
Energy issues related to Russia are a hot political topic in Poland, which is seeking to reduce reliance on oil and gas from its eastern neighbor and former communist era master. Russia accounts for 90 percent of Poland's oil imports and more than half of its gas.
The Polish government also fears that the new leg of the Yamal pipeline would allow Russia to shut down another pipeline through Ukraine, Poland's ally which it hopes will join it one day as a European Union member.
Ukraine has often clashed with Russia over the price it pays for gas imports.
Polish government opponents said the pipeline deal disclosure was fresh evidence of Budzanowski's inability to monitor state companies after state airline LOT warned of a massive loss and received a state rescue in November.
Tusk criticized Budzanowski for failing to monitor PGNiG properly and said he expected further consequences.
"In my view, the oversight function was not fully implemented," Tusk told a news conference.
"I will await fast actions from the new treasury minister with regards to PGNiG, including personal consequences that should come first," he said.
Analysts speculated this could mean the dismissal of PGNiG Chief Executive Grazyna Piotrowska-Oliwa, Budzanowski's close ally.
PGNiG declined to comment.
Gazprom has long been in talks with European countries about an expansion of the Yamal-Europe pipeline, which runs through Belarus and Poland to Germany.
Deputy Administration and Digitization Minister Wlodzimierz Karpinski will replace Budzanowski, who had held his post since November 2011, Tusk said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
