Exporting Ukrainian gas demands clear and equal rules for all market participants. A situation where select enterprises are granted the status of being "more equal than others" is unacceptable for a civilized economy.
According to data released by former Minister of Energy Olha Buslavets, gas withdrawals from Ukrainian storage facilities under the "customs warehouse" regime have increased noticeably in recent days. Specifically, supplies toward Hungary have reached roughly 19.5 million cubic meters per day, and toward Poland — up to 7.2 million cubic meters per day. According to her information, the primary volumes belong to the Naftogaz Group.
This revival of cross-border trade raises a fundamental question once more: under what rules will Ukrainian gas-producing companies have access to exports?
My position is clear: all economic entities must have equal rights, regardless of ownership form. If the state decides on a partial opening of domestic gas exports, the rules of the game must be completely transparent and identical for both state-owned and private companies. State-owned enterprise status must not confer any commercial privileges or uncompetitive advantages.
At the same time, exports are viable exclusively within strictly controlled volumes. The ceiling limit must be calculated taking into account:
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actual reserves in underground storage facilities;
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production and domestic consumption forecasts;
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priority needs of protected consumers;
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risks to the stability of the winter gas balance.
Should the energy balance deteriorate, export volumes must be promptly reduced, and, if necessary, suspended without delay.
A practical and equitable solution would be a proportional allocation of permitted volumes among producers based on their share of total output — governed by unified, open, and publicly disclosed criteria.
The state's energy security demands strict control over volumes, while a fair market requires equal and inviolable rules for every participant.
