Ukraine and Slovakia agree on gas transit

The Operator of the Gas Transmission System of Ukraine LLC (OGTSU) and the Slovak GTS Operator Eustream signed a technical cooperation agreement, the press service of the GTS Operator of Ukraine has reported.

"The GTS Operator of Ukraine has agreements with all related operators. In Brussels, the GTS Operator of Ukraine signed a technical interconnection agreement with the Slovak GTS Operator EUSTREAM under the European rules since January 1, 2020," the statement reads.

Thus, the new GTS Operator of Ukraine signed agreements with the GTS operators of Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Slovakia and Russia. All the necessary technical and legal grounds have been created for the successful start of work of the independent GTS Operator of Ukraine and for the continuation of gas transit from the Russian Federation to European countries through the Ukrainian GTS from January 1, 2020.

In addition, European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic welcomed the signing of the agreement. “I welcome the interconnection agreement reached between Ukraine and Slovakia, and forcefully facilitated by the European Commission. All pieces for the transit of gas via the Ukrainian route now in place. Great news for Europe's energy security,” he wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, the long-term contract between Naftogaz of Ukraine and Gazprom, which expires on January 1, 2020, blocked cooperation between the Ukrainian GTS operator and neighboring operators.

Ukraine's National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities finally certified the Operator of the Gas Transmission System of Ukraine LLC and granted a new GTS operator a license to carry out business activities for natural gas transportation from January 1, 2020.

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