Gazprom Appeals Decision by Polish Anti-Trust Watchdog on $7.6Bln Fine Over Nord Stream 2

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian gas giant Gazprom has appealed the 5.6 billion euro ($7.6 billion) fine, which was imposed by the Polish anti-trust watchdog UOKiK over the Nord Stream 2 planned pipeline, the company said Wednesday.

Gazprom has submitted an appeal to the Polish competition court, arguing against the fine.

Last month, the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) announced that it had slapped a $7.6-billion fine on Gazprom for building the Nord Stream 2.

The project is a $10.5 billion joint venture between Russia's Gazprom, Germany's Uniper and Wintershall, Austria's OMV, France's Engie, and UK/Dutch energy conglomerate Royal Dutch Shell. When completed, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will be capable of transporting up to 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year from Russia to Germany, doubling the capacity of the existing Nord Stream network and turning Germany into a gas hub.

Alongside the US, Poland has repeatedly opposed the project, claiming risks for Europe to become dependent on Russian energy resources. Moscow and Berlin responded by saying that Nord Stream 2 is a purely economic project and it should not be politicized.