Magazine 1/2008
DownloadThe establishment of a single European natural gas market has been the objective of the European Commission (EC) for a long time. This objective is embodied primarily in liberalisation efforts the last result of which was introduced in September 2007 in terms of the third liberalisation package proposal. The EC started making these efforts in the 1990’s when Europe began to perceive shortages within the existent…
Economy · Interviews · Politics
Magazine 1/2008
DownloadJonathan Stern is the Director of Gas Research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. He is also Honorary Professor at the University of Dundee and the Chairman of the British Institute of Energy Economics. His research area includes natural gas issues, the liberalisation and deregulation of energy market, Russian and CIS energy policy. At the beginning, I’d like to ask you one theoretical question…
Magazine 1/2008
DownloadSome time ago, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Vienna has received our request to conduct an interview on the questions of economic collaboration between Slovakia and Azerbaijan. These questions follow up on the presentation of investment possibilities in Azerbaijani economy which took place in Bratislava in March 2007. In view of the fact that we published an interview with the Armenian Ambassador…
Magazine 1/2008
DownloadThe events of February 2008 begged the question whether the European Union (EU) is capable of agreeing on common policy which would be advantageous for new member states in particular. The answer is “not”.The first proof was the negotiation for the cancellation of visa for the citizens of the Czech Republic when visiting the US. The Czech Republic asked the EU for help as early as three years ago…
Magazine 1/2008
DownloadIn September 2007, the European Commission introduced the third package of legislative proposals aimed at the EU internal energy market and his further liberalisation. In the centre of the Commission’s attention are primarily wider possibility for the consumer to choose a supplier, fairer prices, environment-friendly energy production and the security of supplies.The reason for the introduction…
Magazine 1/2008
DownloadAt the beginning of 2008, the Prosecutor General of Georgia announced that Badri Patarkacishvili was charged with conspiracy to topple the state authority, the contrivance of an assassination of a person holding a political office and the preparation of a terrorist act. According to the Prosecutor General’s press statement in the absence of Patarkacishvili in Georgian territory, the summons will be handed in via his family members…
Magazine 1/2008
DownloadThe recent period of time is fraught with diverse surmises concerning the new gas pipeline routes. Each of these proposed routes is connected with its own history and issues which may lead to surprising twists. From the geographical point of view, the routes are oriented towards the north and south of Europe, i.e. the territory which the new pipelines will lead through. It is justified by the growing gas…
Magazine 2/2007
DownloadA conference on the Nabucco gas pipeline project attended by the partners involved was held on 14th and 15th September in Budapest. Apart from the main representatives of companies, which are the members of the consortium composed of OMV, MOL, Transgas, Bulgargaz and Botas, among those who attended the conference were also the European Commissioner for Energy Andris Piebalgs, the Hungarian…
Magazine 2/2007
DownloadAt the end of August 2007, the Czech Energy Company CEZ and the Hungarian Oil and Gas Company MOL proved, that even two (in the world scale) middle-sized companies from Central Europe can raise some excitement in the world media and among analysts. According to the capital value two times bigger Czech company agreed on a strategic alliance with the smaller partner, with the possibility…
Magazine 2/2007
DownloadIn the end of June 2007, information on the Austrian concern OMV planning to take over the Hungarian oil company MOL appeared. Since a part of MOL’s shares is listed on the stock exchange, by means of capital market the Austrian company increased its stake in the Hungarian rival company by 8 per cent, namely from 10 to more than 18 per cent. This undertaking stirred up defiant reactions among the representatives…
