Barroso calls for legal action over gas dispute

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso today warned Russia and Ukraine’s big energy companies he would recommend legal action against them unless they move quickly to restore supplies.

Mr Barroso said if agreements sponsored by the European Union were not honoured “as a matter of urgency” he would advise European energy companies to file lawsuits against Russia’s Gazprom and Ukraine’s Naftogaz.

At least 15 European nations have seen their supplies stopped or reduced since Russia last week stopped sending gas through Ukrainian pipelines to countries further west.

Mr Barroso made the threats today, a day after Russia and Ukraine failed to live up to promises to restore gas supplies to several EU countries states, some of which face acute shortages.

The EU chief told the European Parliament the dispute between the Ukraine and Russia was “most unacceptable and incredible.”

Meanwhile, the prime ministers of Slovakia and Bulgaria will today meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to press for a resumption in natural gas deliveries halted by the dispute.

Bulgaria has lost all supplies and has only a day or two of reserves. Slovakia has lost 97% of its supplies.