Russia Testing Poland’s Resolve with Gas Cuts

Poland continues to claim it is receiving delivery og less than normal supplies of natural gas from Russia’s Gazprom.

Speaking on Saturday, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Janusz Piechocinski said that the disruptions in supply were an attempt to test Polish resolve.

"I think that the temporary disruptions of the recent days were in fact an attempt from the eastern supplier to test Poland's reaction," Piechocinski commented.

Earlier this week, Polish gas importer PGNiG asserted that the gas supplies from Russia, which accounted for 54% of its sales in 2013, had dropped 45 percent compared to the planned volumes.

The reduction in supply required Poland to suspend gas flows to Ukraine for two days earlier this week after gas importer PGNiG said it had not been receiving the volumes of gas requested from Gazprom since Monday.

Gazprom denied any reduction stating on Wednesday that  “gas volumes currently delivered to Poland remain the same—23 million cubic meters per day.”

However in a statement today, Gazprom said it was not able to supply Poland with the volumes of natural gas it was requesting and could only deliver levels closer to daily minimum allowed under the contract.

Questioned by Reuters, a Gazprom spokesman commented “they are requesting the maximum, and we are only able to supply closer to the daily minimum."

Slovakia and Austria have also reported reductions in gas supply from Russia.