The management of TAIPED has warned that the troika is going to block the competition for the privatization of DEPA, by insisting on abolishing the concession of exclusive rights to a single natural gas supplier.
The troika has claimed that this will increase competition and result in a 5% to 10% reduction in the price of natural gas and as such has pressured the Ministry of the Environment to change the current operating regime of the three natural gas supply companies in Attica, Thessaloniki and Thessaly and to end the exclusive right to supply households and businesses for 30 years.
TAIPED has counter-argued that the reduction of natural gas prices is a long-term goal that necessitates long-term investments from new potential investors. As such, this will not only mean that prices will remain the same for the foreseeable future, but the damages caused to the privatization plans and DEPA itself, in relation to the Greek State’s credibility, will exceed any immediate gains.
The troika demands have also caused Italian firm Eni’s managing consultant Paolo Scaroni to request the intervention from the Italian Prime Minister Enrico Leta, as Eni has a stake in the three natural gas suppliers. Prime Minister Samaras assured his Italian counterpart that Greece will respect its contracts with foreign companies.
