"I can say that the group of Lithuanian experts have prepared their conclusions regarding the proposals from Gazprom. We expect that those proposals will be presented as soon as on Monday," Butkevičius told Žinių Radijas radio station on Thursday.
"I think it would be appropriate for experts from both sides to meet without waiting until the formal letters are prepared. I think there should be more clarity during that meeting, because autumn is coming and the other side is inclined to look positively at reducing the gas price," he said.
Energy Minister Jaroslav Neverovič and President Grybauskaitė agreed on Wednesday that Lithuania's response to Gazprom would be discussed and approved in the coming week, Butkevičius said.
"(Neverovič) informed (the president) what proposals would be submitted and what answers to their document were being prepared and it was agreed that the energy minister and I would meet with the president again on Monday to discuss the final wording," he said.
The energy minister said on Wednesday that Gazprom's proposals lacked a rational approach and adequate consideration of the real situation. However, he did not comment on the proposals in detail.
Unofficial sources say that Gazprom has realized that the implementation of the EU's Third Energy Package is an irreversible process and is now trying to steer the talks in a direction favorable to it.
Prime Minister Butkevičius said earlier this week that the government wanted Lithuania's answers to the Russian gas supplier's proposals to be given as soon as possible, because winter is coming and the country wants to negotiate a lower gas price.
The Lithuanian government received Gazprom's written proposals last Friday after the Russian company's CEO, Alexei Miller, promised to put forward such proposals during his visit in Vilnius.
