Polish president slams govt over Russia gas talks

WARSAW Jan 9 (Reuters) - Poland's conservative President Lech Kaczynski criticised the centre-right government for prolonging gas negotiations with Russia and deepening Poland's already-heavy reliance on Russian gas. Poland, the biggest ex-communist European Union country of 38 million, imports about two thirds of its gas from Russia and has so far failed to clinch a new gas deal with the Kremlin to cover an annual deficit of 2.5 billion cubic metres.

"The information about prolonged intergovernmental negotiations on supplies as well as signals that the agreement draft makes Poland even more dependant on Russian gas, forced Mr. President to ask Prime Minister Donald Tusk for clarification," a statement on Kaczynski's web page said.

Kaczynski is a frequent critic of Russia and accuses it of trying to reassert its influence in the former Soviet bloc by means including energy supplies.

This year's frosty winter has already pushed up gas consumption, Poland's gas monopoly PGNiG PGNI.WA said. The company has also warned some of its major clients about possible gas cuts. [ID:nLDE6070CI]

Warsaw and Moscow said before they had agreed the deal under which Poland would import 10.3 billion cubic metres of gas per year from Gazprom (GAZP.MM) until 2037. But Poland later declined to approve it due to last-minute spat between the two firms. "It remains without a reasonable answer, why the contract with Gazprom would run for so long, until 2037," the statement released late on Friday also read.

"The President hopes current problems would be solved as soon as possible and that Poland would start receiving gas in amounts satisfying its needs. At the same time, that it would not lower our security."

Diversification of gas supplies has been one of the priorities of Tusk's government since it took power in 2007. (Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Andy Bruce)