Gazprom to negotiate lower gas prices with Lithuania

Russia’s Gazprom Concern is open for negotiations with Lithuania on lowering the price of the natural gas supplied from Russia, Gazprom’s CEO Alexei Miller told reporters after his meeting with Lithuania’s Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius on Friday. “We are speaking about a major price reduction for Lithuanian consumers,” he said. The negotiations “on cooperation scenarios” will continue. “Both sides are interested in finalising them soon.” Miller said the topics would include “investments, gas transit to Kaliningrad, and commercial issues.” Lithuania’s gas networks has been integrated only eastbound as yet, thus the country depends fully on supplies of the Russian raw material. In order to diversify the supplies, the republic has been constructing at the Baltic Sea a terminal for liquefied natural gas to receive LNG by sea. Lithuania hopes it would be a major reason in the dialogue with Gazprom and will cause lower gas prices for the country’s consumers. Now, the gas price is about 500 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres and remains among the highest gas prices in Europe.