Mantas Dubauskas, an advisor to the energy minister, told BNS that according to a scheduled approved by the tribunal, Lithuania on Nov. 26 is to submit a reply to Gazprom’s response. The defendant is to file a rejoinder next spring and the tribunal is to hold a hearing next summer.
Deputy Energy Minister Aleksandras Spruogis has said earlier that a decision to return 280 million litas (EUR 81.16m) to non-household consumers, which overpaid for Russian gas supplies between January 2013 and May 2014, will have an impact on the dispute.
According to the official, the amount of Lithuania’s suit against Gazprom should be revised. “The 280 million litas should be deducted from the claim. That would be a logical thing to do,” he said.
However, unofficial sources say that this amount has no impact on the suit, which is over overcharging Lithuania for gas supplies before 2012, but it should be taken into consideration when calculating damages in the future.
The government is seeking compensation from Gazprom for overcharging Lithuanian gas consumers for gas supplies between 2004 and 2012. The amount of the suit has not been disclosed, but sources say that currently it is closer to 5 billion litas. It was reported earlier this year that it had declined from 5 billion litas to 4.5 billion litas.
The Stockholm arbitration proceedings were initiated by the previous government in 2012.
In an apparent attempt to influence the Stockholm arbitration tribunal and, possibly, appease EU regulators, Gazprom last May cut the price of natural gas supplies to Lietuvos Dujos (Lithuanian Gas) by 21 percent.
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