Page 18 - EurOil Week 03 2023

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Slovak government withdraws Private natural gas distribution firm Rotalin carried 5.8 bcm of gas last year to Turkey,
while Europe received 11.3 bcm of gas
Gaz Trading has asked for $63mn from
own bill taxing profits from Moldova in an arbitration request file to through the pipeline in 2022.
Since the pipeline started operations,
the World Bank’s specialised ICSID court,
Russian oil imports Mold-Street.com reported. a total of 20.5 bcm of gas has been
The company claims that it has invested
transported to Turkey and 19.5 bcm to
The Slovak caretaker cabinet has decided to “tens of millions of US dollars” in the 18 Europe via TANAP, the data compilation
scrap its legislative proposal to tax profits years of activity in Moldova, but the market showed.
from imports of Russian oil. The bill has regulator has not allowed it to recover its
been discussed since May and was in the investment.
process of ratification in the parliament Rotalin, controlled by US-British Bulgaria mulls taking control of
since October but was never approved in investor Jamal Sari Nuseibeh through
part because of the political turmoil in the the Liechtenstein-registered Rotalin Gas Russia-owned oil refinery
parliament. Trading, claims that it is the largest private
The protracted political crisis culminated investor registered under the National Bulgaria could take over the operation of
in the fall of Eduard Heger’s government in Gasification Programme launched by Russia-owned oil refinery Lukoil Neftochim
mid-December. Heger has been in charge Moldova in 2002. It estimates its market Burgas as lawmakers adopted amendments
of the cabinet with limited rights since share at 3%, enough to make it the to the law regulating economic activities
then and has been attempting to secure main rival of the Gazprom-controlled related to oil and oil products in the final
majority backing in the parliament for a Moldovagaz. reading on January 13.
reconstructed cabinet. According to the law, natural gas The amendments were proposed by
At its Monday session, the Slovak cabinet distribution networks are financed by the Democratic Bulgaria and aim to prevent
decided to scrap the Russian oil taxation distribution system operator, but they are closure of the country’s sole oil refinery,
bill altogether after parliament approved taken into account when setting the fees which is also the largest in the Balkans.
another bill in its December 22 session that charged to end-consumers for the natural All political parties except far-right pro-
will collect profits from companies with at gas distribution service. Russian Vazrazhdane backed the changes.
least 75% of their turnover coming from However, Rotalin Gaz Trading claims According to the bill, in case of threats
business activities dealing with oil, gas, coal, that, through the decisions of the energy to national security, abuse of monopoly or
or refineries. market regulator ANRE, the state deprived international containment measures the
These companies will be required to it of the money invested by refusing to state would take over the control of the
pay a solidary contribution from elevated calculate appropriate fees. refinery. In Russia, this was seen as a step
profits. The contribution was first proposed towards nationalisation of Lukoil Neftochim
at 70% before eventually being lowered to Burgas.
55% and made applicable to 2022 profits. Over 97bcm of gas delivered to In these cases, a special state
Slovakia together with Czechia, Hungary, representative would be appointed to the
and Austria are temporarily exempted from Turkey, Europe via TurkStream, position of commercial manager. This
an EU embargo on the imports of Russian person would be appointed by the economy
oil due to their high dependency on the TANAP minister for six months after a proposal by
imports. a special consultative council. The term can
The exemption on imports also entails Some 97.3bn cubic metres (bcm) of gas has be extended by another six months but only
that Slovak oil-processing refinery Slovnaft, to date been delivered through TurkStream once.
which is owned by Hungary’s MOL, curtails Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Anatolian The special representative should have at
the export of produced fuel abroad over Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) to Turkey least five years of experience as manager of
the next 18 months. Slovnaft is working on and Europe, according to a compilation companies related to oil and oil derivatives.
replacing Russian oil. MOL is considering of data by Turkish state-run news service The representative will not be allowed to
taking legal action over the windfall tax bill. Anadolu Agency. change the ownership of the refinery’s
Launched on January 8, 2020, property or to take out loans on behalf of
TurkStream, running across the Black Sea the refinery.
Private gas distribution firm from Russia, has so far transited 26.75 bcm representatives of ten ministries, the
The consultative council will include
of gas to Turkey and 30.55 bcm to Europe.
Rotalin asks for $63mn from In 2022 alone, the numbers were 8.6 bcm competition protection body, the state
agency for national security and other
and 12.5 bcm for Turkey and Europe,
Moldova respectively. institutions.
TANAP, inaugurated in June 2018,
Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s parliament also

P18 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 03 20•January•2023