Lithuania initiates EU Commission's inspections of European gas companies
MOSCOW. Sept 30 (Interfax) - A complaint by the Lithuanian government has become a ground for massive inspections of gas companies in Europe, a source from the gas market told Interfax.
References to a document submitted by the Lithuanian government are contained in the documents produced by European Union Commission officials during the inspections, the source said.
This complaint is not the only element of the dossier, not the only reason why we launched this inspection, European Commission spokeswoman Amelia Torres said earlier.
On Tuesday, European Commission officers carried out searches at the offices of European gas importing companies on suspicion of the involvement of fuel suppliers in anti-competitive practices.
The Lithuanian government has accused Gazprom of setting unfairly high gas prices. The Baltic republic is also set to seize gas mains from the Lietuvos Dujos company (17.7% is owned by Lithuania, 37.06% by Gazprom, and 38.9% by E.ON Ruhrgas). Legal processes are already under way in Lithuania and a Stockholm arbitration.