Yatseniuk promises to stop importing gas in 10 years, switch to gas exports

10:57, 11.12.2015 1 min read

Ukraine will stop importing gas and will be able to export it in 10 years, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said.

"Our goal is to get rid of gas imports, boost domestic production and become a fully energy self-sufficient country within a decade. In 10 years, Ukraine will be able to export its own gas," he said during the government's report in parliament on Friday.

The adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of new rates of gas royalties for private producers is an important condition for increasing domestic gas production.

"And the new royalties we ask the lawmakers to approve will let us boost own gas production," he said.

Yatseniuk said that subsidies transferred to NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy in 2014 totaled $10 billion. "This year we've managed to reduce the deficit by 90%, which is by $1 billion. We won't subsidize NJSC Naftogaz from the budget next year," he said.

In his words, Ukraine managed to reduce daily gas consumption by 20% on the average in 2015.