"There was a long discussion about the implementation of the third energy package in the gas sector. And we wanted the European commissioner, who is in charge of the energy sector, to say what they will do if Lithuania has to participate in court cases, what their position is and if they really support Lithuania in the implementation of this ambitious plan. We should have the gas sector diversified in 2014. We were given a very clear answer. We must all abide by EU rules and work together to achieve the goals," he told LRT Radio, commenting on his meeting with EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger.
Asked whether the meeting with Gazprom’s vice-president, Alexander Medvedev, in Vilnius last week had anything to do with the discussions in Brussels, Butkevičius said: “Those were working meetings. This was the second one already and I think that there will be more of such meetings in the future since it is our main task – to maintain economic relations with the neighboring countries.”
He said that he had informed Oettinger about the goals in the new government program regarding the energy sector, including the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, power interconnections with Poland and Sweden, a planned gas interconnection between Lithuania and Poland, as well as plans to speed up the renovation of apartment buildings.
“It was a very good, open, business-like discussion,” Butkevičius pointed out.
