The decision by the Ukrainian parliament to allow companies from the US and EU to co-manage the country’s gas pipelines could lead to the country being left with no gas supplies in the coming winter, an MP has warned in an emotional online address.
Nikolay Rudkovsky, an independent MP in Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada,
believes the law allowing 49 percent of Ukraine’s national gas
transportation system (GTS) to be managed by foreign companies is
a big mistake.
“People, my advice to you is: buy firewood and coal! After
the Law on reforming the management system of the united gas
transportation system of Ukraine (#4116) was passed today, our
country has been left with almost no chances of staying with
gas,” Rudkovsky said on Facebook, following the Rada
session.
“Don’t the MPs understand that we are now guaranteed to have
a winter with no heating?” he asked.
The bill, proposed by PM Arseny Yatsenyuk, has raised much
controversy among Ukrainian MPs, who rejected it several times
before the final approval on Thursday. One of the rejections, on
July 24, is believed to have prompted Yatsenyuk’s resignation
move, which was eventually dismissed by the Rada.
Rudkovsky might have voiced the fears of quite a number of the
bill’s opponents when he tried to speak out against passing of
the bill on Thursday, but was silenced by the Rada Chairman
Aleksandr Turchinov.
“We don’t get a single cubic meter of gas from Russia now.
This law gives away Ukrainian gas transportation system to the
US,” Rudkovsky had time to say, before his microphone was
switched off, according to ITAR-TASS.
Turchinov accused the MP of lobbying for Russian interests.
Rudkovsky has asked Ukrainians to write petitions to the
government, calling for the bill’s cancelation.
“We can’t allow dozens of other Alchevsks to happen.”
Around 1,500 people were left without gas in the town of
Alchevsk, Lugansk Region of eastern Ukraine, earlier in August
due to a malfunctioning gas pipe.
Rudkovsky’s post has inspired dozens of worried comments, with
Ukrainians sharing stories of electricity and water shortages
they are already encountering, as well as fears of more to come.
Earlier this month, Kiev announced turning off hot water throughout the city
in an attempt to save gas for the winter months. The Ukrainian
authorities have voiced concern over the country’s ability to
ensure winter heating.
Rudkovsky believes the government “failed” preparation
for the winter.
“There are other right ways of solving this problem, but the
government does not hear me. I advised them to buy heating oil
and transfer heating facilities to coal,” he said.
Meanwhile economic experts doubt Ukraine will actually be able to
find the EU and US investors for its gas transportation system.
Mikhail Korchemkin of East European Gas Analysis believes it’s
the make such investments, as the future of the gas market in
vague, Vedomosti reports. Energy Intelligence analysts argue the
conflict in the east of Ukraine makes the project risky in
general.