Romanian State reserves the right to postpone the implementation schedule for liberalization of natural gas for the population until the settling of a dispute with the European Commission, so that the rise scheduled for October 1, 2014 will no longer take place, according to an Energy Department release, quoted by Agerpres.

A government delegation led by the Minister for Energy, Răzvan Nicolescu, held consultations in Brussels with the European Commission (DG Energy) on national and regional matters of regional natural gas.

“There is also a major divergence with DG Enterprise of the European Commission, regarding an alleged ban on the export of natural gas from Romania. I asked for DG Energy involvement to resolve the dispute, which was accepted by it.

I reported that, until this situation is resolved, the Romanian State reserves the right to postpone the implementation schedule for liberalization of natural gas for the population. Accordingly, we intend to not implement the increase of domestic gas price agreed by Boc government with the European Commission for October 1″, said Răzvan Nicolescu, Minister for Energy, quoted in the release.

According to liberalization calendar undertaken by Romania in 2012 with the IMF and the European Commission, the gas for the population ought to increase by 3% from 1 October 2014.

However, Monday’s talks in Brussels have also covered the Russia-Ukraine situation, Romania interconnection with neighboring states, the potential of the Black Sea resources, Commission’s approach on shale gas, and the European Commission infringement procedure concerning gas exports.

“Consultations have been good and in the future I would like to organize them more frequently. Director General of the Directorate General for Energy, Mr. Dominique Ristori, is a very professional and serious person. We have many common views and approaches with European Commission officials”, Nicolescu said in the release.