Page 11 - Euroil Week 33 2019
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EurOil POLICY EurOil
Poland mulls support for US-led mission to protect tankers off Iran
POLAND
The US has taken the most hawkish position against Tehran.
POLAND is reportedly considering supporting a US-led mission to protect the passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz o the coast of Iran, but it has not made a formal decision yet.
“From our point of view actions to stabilize thisregionwouldbejusti ed,”aspokeswomanat Poland’s foreign ministry told Reuters in a state- ment on August 16.
“We have to wait to work out whether, and if so, in what form Poland could join such an initi- ative,” she added.
It’s unclear when Poland, which under the ruling populist Law and Justice (PiS) has been highly supportive of the Trump administration in contrast to the caution shown in Brussels, will make a decision on the matter. Poland’s Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz rst made the com- ments about possible participation to German news agency dpa on August 16. Poland has in the past o ered military support to US-led missions in places including Iraq and Afghanistan. During Donald Trump’s disagreements with Germany, o cials in his administration have made refer- ences to possibly transferring US troops from
Germany to Poland.
e UK has already said it will link up with
the US for a maritime security mission that would safeguard the passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint via which arounda hoftheoilthatheadsforworldmar- kets is shipped, leaving it exposed to fallout from Washington’s stando with Tehran. e British previously argued for a European mission but changed their approach after Boris Johnson became UK prime minister in July and adopted a foreign policy strategy that includes stepping up the country’s drive to complete Brexit and working more closely with the US.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, meanwhile, has stated that Germany will not take part in a US-led naval initiative in the Strait of Hormuz.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on August 14 that she believed the idea of such a European mission would be discussed again at informal meetings of European foreign and defence ministers in Finland later this month.
PROJECTS & COMPANIES
Serbian gas utility expands into Bosnia
BOSNIA
The company has been cleared to buy a gas utility in Bosnia’s Serb Republic.
THE Competition Commission of Serbia has given Srbijagas, the country’s state-owned nat- ural gas provider, the green light to take over a majority stake of 79.3% in Bijeljina-Gas com- pany located in Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Repub- lika Srpska.
Srbijagas is taking over the shares from Novi Sad-Gas, a state-owned company that is one of the largest gas distributors in Serbia and was awarded a contract to carry out the complete gasi cation process of the city of Bijeljina which it failed to complete because of scarce nancing. Srbijagas gets the 79.3% stake in exchange for its claims against Novi Sad-Gas, under a court decision.
The minority stake in the Bijeljina com- pany (20.7%) will remain owned by the city of Bijeljina.
“Srbijagas intends to complete the project of gasi cation of Bijeljina very soon, and the strat- egy of the company is longer-term and includes the expansion of its business in the region, so Republika Srpska has the honour and pleasure to welcome one of the largest Serbian inves- tors entering through Bijeljina and I am sure
that it will continue its expansion throughout the republic,” said Milos Stevanovic, who has become an adviser to Srbijagas CEO of Dusan Bajatovic for the company’s investments in Republika Srpska and the rest of Bosnia.
e supply of gas in Bijeljina might start soon a er the deal is completed. Stevanovic stated that the 24km gas pipeline from Shepko to Bijeljina can be put into operation very quickly, while the 320km pipeline network in the city is functional.
Bijeljina-Gas was founded in 2009 as an 80:20 partnership between Novi Sad-Gas company and the municipality of Bijeljina, with the aim of building a gas distribution network in the city. e value of the project is €30mn but it has not been put into operation yet.
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