The amount in question is USD 7.6 billion.
According to RBC-Ukraine, Poland has fined Russian Gazprom $7.6 billion for the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline. The fine was imposed for violation of the antimonopoly legislation of Poland.
“As a result of the court proceedings it was found out that Gazprom and five European companies entered into a number of agreements on financing Nord Stream 2 without consent to establish a joint venture. In addition, European companies have become “quasi” shareholders of Nord Stream 2 through the pledge of shares”, “- says the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK).
Assessing the degree of violation of the requirements, UOKiK concluded that the companies have never given up their intention to hold a concentration and have implemented it in another form. None of them informed the Polish regulator by violating a law in force in Poland that is identical to that of the European Union. Thus, the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project violates the law and competition rules, the consequences of which increase the dependence of gas consumers in the domestic market on the sole supplier – Gazprom.
“Gazprom and its five partner companies have been fined in the exchange of 10% of annual turnover, which is the maximum penalty under Polish law”, – said Tomasz Chruszny, head of UOKiK.