Baltic PMs agree on another 2 weeks for LNG market deal

“There is agreement in principle to move forward, and there is a clear deadline of two weeks, which are needed for certain adjustments of our joint position and a joint address to the European Commission, the Latvian government will also discuss the issue,” the prime minister’s foreign policy adviser Deividas Matulionis told BNS.

“This is the intermediary agreement in principle. This is not the end, I would say there is progress ahead,” he added.

Matulionis noted that the principle agreement of the regional LNG package including the already operational Klaipėda terminal, the projected terminal in Estonia and the Inčukalns gas storage facility remains unchanged. Nevertheless, he did not specify the changes to be made within two weeks.

“There is consensus on all of the principles, however, this will take a bit more time because of all of the nuances, as I’ve said – two weeks, this will be the final deadline,” said the adviser.

The three Baltic prime ministers had met at the Inčukalns gas storage facility in Latvia to discuss the LNG market on Friday.

Skvernelis earlier voiced an expectation that the decision would be reached during the Friday’s meeting. Lithuania’s officials say that a joint position of the three Baltic nations would boos their chances of securing European Union (EU) support to the Lithuanian LNG terminal in Klaipėda and allow lowering gas prices for consumers by 5-7 percent.