Poland's goal of reducing its dependence on Russian gas took a step forward Thursday after it secured the final investments to start construction of its first liquefied natural gas terminal, expected to start importing gas from Qatar in 2014.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said it gave a 75 million euro ($96.76 million) loan to Polish gas grid operator Gaz-System to build the terminal.
The facility will give Poland and its landlocked neighbors in central and eastern Europe access to the global LNG market, an alternative to gas supplied via pipelines from Gazprom.
"What this project really represents is a choice for Poland to receive one-third of its gas from a country other than Russia for the first time," said Ricardo Puliti, the EBRD's managing director for energy and natural resources.
(Reuters)
Related articles:
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.
![paiment methods](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/img/contribute/payment_icons.png)
Remind me later.