29/06/2015
Vija Pakalkaite, a doctoral candidate at the Department of Public Policy and researcher at the CEU’s Energy Policy Research Group (EPRG, energy.ceu.edu) on June 25 published a commentary in Natural Gas Europe about the increasing state role in the energy utilities in Central and Eastern Europe.
In the article “Central and Eastern European Governments go on a Utility Shopping Spree”, Vija observes that the combination of asset sell-offs by major European energy players and increased concern over energy supply security has served to bring back the decade-old utility privatization trend in Central and Eastern Europe.
States are attempting to get their hands on long-term gas supply contracts with the Russian natural gas exporter Gazprom and pave the way for a multi-commodity energy supplier business where they can influence end-user prices directly.
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Vija's dissertation focuses on the implementation of the Third Energy Package and creating competitiveness in natural gas markets in Central and Eastern Europe.