Prime Minister of Latvia Māris Kučinskis hosted Prime Minister of Estonia Jüri Ratas and Prime Minister of Lithuania Saulius Skvernelis to discuss matters related to regional Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) supply.
According to a brief release about the meeting from the government communication office, Kučinskis used the opportunity to say that regional infrastructure should be based on free market principles: "Only this will enable us to achieve the best possible result - the lowest possible gas price for consumers," was his sole attributable quote.
The trio and their entourages donned special hats for the occasion.
Ar #EE premjeru J.Ratasu un #LT premjeru S.Skverneli iepazināmies ar Inčukalna gāzes krātuves darbu un pārrunājām sadarbību enerģētikas jomā pic.twitter.com/oSJK9x5WSt
— Maris Kucinskis (@MarisKucinskis) August 11, 2017
The meeting focused on the question of establishing a regional LNG terminal that would diversify sources of supply and ensure a stable and secure gas supply for the Baltic states. “A regional LNG solution should be cost-efficient and sustainable in the long run. Estonia is willing to consider various forms of cooperation, yet these should be built on a market organisation providing equal opportunities,” Prime Minister Ratas stated prior to the meeting.
The visit is part of the decision of the Baltic heads of government to visit various gas business related locations in the three states. In June, the Baltic Prime Ministers jointly visited Paldiski to get acquainted with the planned Alexela liquefied natural gas terminal and in July they met at Lithuania's already constructed 'Independence' LNG terminal in Klaipėda.
