čtvrtek 17. července 2008

Russian revenge for Czech radar

So here we are: A day after Czech Republic signed aggreement with the US about stationing of antimissile radar Czech oil companies has been witnessing decrease of input of oil in the pipe Drushba from Russia. Official explanation is as usual: technical problems. But there is no doubt that we are punished by Kremlin for our highly sensitive and political decision to underline our alliance with the US.
Fortunately, we have another pipe from West which could easily cover Czech consuption as last week has shown. But Czech companies now have to search for oil at other markets and buy it for slightly higher prices than long time contracted Russian oil from Drushba.
We are aware of Lithuanian story from 2006 with "technical problems" with their part of Drushba, after they have privatized Mazeiku refinery to Polish PKN Orlen and not to Russian Lukoil. That pipe is still empty even Lithuania has been offering help to Russians to repaire technical problems (at least Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas recently has told me that).
Czech officials stress that at stake there is Russian position as reliable business partner for EU countries, but we have not heard any strong word from Brussels up to now to support that cause.
EU common energy policy is not existing as well as "political solidarity", it seems to me. Russians are playing well they usual "divide and rule" policy, especialy in energy. They prefer bilateral talks and contracts than dealing with EU as one entity - if there is any EU common interest in energy at all. Silence from Brussels (at least in media) seems to point out that decision by Czech government to host American radar and strengthen our transatlantic relations is right.

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