Lithuania-Poland Pipeline to Help Integrate Baltics Into EU Gas Market – Envoy

The proposed gas pipeline interconnection between Lithuania and Poland will be instrumental, once it is constructed, in integrating the Baltic states’ gas networks into the internal EU gas market, Lithuanian Ambassador to Russia Remigijus Motuzas told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The pipeline, dubbed Gas Interconnector Poland–Lithuania (GIPL), is expected to be constructed by 2019, as part of the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan aimed at fostering greater energy independence between the states involved.

"The Gas Interconnector Poland–Lithuania project will be instrumental in integrating the Baltics‘ gas systems into the internal EU gas market. It is important for strengthening the transmission network between Baltic States, which strive to establish a fully functioning gas market in the region," Motuzas said.

Lithuania seeks to diversify its external suppliers and decrease its dependence on Russia for gas.

"Building the lacking cross-border links between the Baltic Sea region and the rest of the EU energy market is one of the priorities," the ambassador said.

While promoting GIPL, Lithuania remains opposed to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, which aims to deliver 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas a year to the European Union across the Baltic Sea to Germany, bypassing Ukraine and the Baltic nations.

"We consider Nord Stream 2 as redundant infrastructure with over-investment features that inter alia could inflict additional costs on gas consumers in the EU," Motuzas said.

Russian Ambassador to Lithuania Alexander Udaltsov said early in July that the Lithuanian stance on Nord Stream 2 is unlikely to change in the near future because of geopolitical and not pragmatic concerns.