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Transneft Accuses Belarus of Siphoning Off Oil
Belarus has illegally tapped 900 tons of oil meant for delivery to Europe since January 6, Transneft president Semen Vanishtok told Ekho Moskvy radio. Vainshtok called for Belarusian authorities to stop illegally drawing off oil and to make compensation for the oil they have taken.
Information had been circulated earlier that the Belarusian state company Belneftekhim was responsible for shutting down the transportation of Russian oil bound through Europe in the Druzhba Pipeline.
The European Union's reaction to the situation can so far be described as reserved. European Commission energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs said in an interview with Associated Press that the stoppage in oil supplies is not a direct threat to EU countries. He did, nonetheless, cal for an explanation of the situation from Russia and Belarus.
A special meeting of EU member state representatives is expected to be called in the immediate future to discuss the situation. According to official statistics, Poland's oil reserves can last for 70 days and Germany's for 130 days.
www.kommersant.com
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Photo: Sergey Semenov
