Croatia: Gazprom welcome to bid to explore for gas; won't get preferential treatment
MOSCOW. July 16 (Interfax) - Croatia would be happy to have Gazprom bid in a tender to develop gas deposits in the country, but is not ready to offer the Russian gas giant preferential treatment.
"We are happy that Russian companies are showing interest in this project, that they will bid in the tender [on geological exploration and subsequent development of deposits]," Croatian Ambassador to Russia Igor Pokaz said in an interview with Interfax.
"However, the terms must be the same for all bidders. In that regard, we cannot offer preferential terms for companies from Russia, France, Norway, or any other country," he said.
The tender will be maximally transparent. The winner will be the company that offers the best price.
The Gazprom group has said it would bid in the tender to conduct onshore geological exploration.
Gazprom confirmed in a press release that it held talks with Croatian President Ivo Josipovic and Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, at which "special attention was paid to the prospects for Gazprom Neft's participation in the bidding procedures for obtaining subsurface blocks in Croatia in order to conduct geological exploration and develop hydrocarbon fields in future."