An official of Transgaz said that the Romanian operator “will analyze whether it is beneficial” to acquire shares from the gas transport operator from Greece, DESFA.
“It is the majority shareholder’s decision, ie the Romanian state,” said Ion Sterian President of the Board of Directors of Transgaz, quoted by Agerpres.
The Greek media reported on Friday that Transgaz is interested in taking over a 66% package of DESFA shares after negotiations between the government in Athens and Azerbaijani group SOCAR failed.
“Analysis will be performed too see if it is beneficial to take this step, if it is strategic. A proper decision in this regard will be taken, if we participate or not (to the sale of DESFA shares – e.n.). It is our majority shareholders’s decision, meaning the Romanian state”, said Sterian.
According to him, last week, a delegation of Transgaz visited Greece for talks upon the development of the vertical gas corridor, that would link all the transport systems from Romania, Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria and Greece to allow the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to Central Europe.
Sterian said that talks with Greek officials focused strictly the vertical corridor topic. Moreover, on the date of visit in Greece, the negotiations with SOCAR had not been declared as failed, said the Transgaz representative.
An article published on Friday in the daily Greek Kathimerini reports that Transgaz has expressed its interest in the acquisition of a 66% share package in the company that manages the pipeline network in Greece, DESFA, after talks between the authorities from Athens and the SOCAR company from Azerbaijan failed.
Citing sources close to the talks, Kathimerini claims that the Transgaz officials visited last week the headquarters of the company Hellenic Petroleum, one of the co-owners of DESFA, and also had discussions with the Greek Minister of Energy Giorgos Stathakis.
“The representatives of the Romanian company informed the Greek side that it intends to pay an amount similar to that proposed by SOCAR (400 million euros), which it considers reasonable and feasible. They added that they are already performing talks with several European banks who are prepared to finance this Romanian investment in Greece “, mentions the quoted publication.
According to the newspaper, Transgaz plays a vital role in interconnection infrastructure development between the countries in Central and South-East Europe and also supports the implementation of the so-called “vertical corridor” that would link all the transport systems from Romania, Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria and Greece, to allow the transport of natural gas from the Caspian region to Central Europe. The project enjoys the support of the European Union and of the U.S.
On Thursday, the company SOCAR from Azerbaijan confirmed the information regarding the failure of discussions for the acquisition of a 66% package of DESFA shares. The Greek government in its turn informed that despite the constructive talks, the SOCAR offer did not respond to the Greek government’s requests and therefore the negotiations were terminated.
The company from Azerbaijan intended to acquire a 31% package of DESFA shares from the Greek government and to buy another package of 35% from the Hellenic Petroleum company. In 2013, SOCAR has won an international tender for the acquisition of 66% of DESFA shares for 400 million euros.