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Gazprom does not expect European Commission antimonopoly probe penalties to be tangible

EC suspects Gazprom of abusing its leading position on the gas market in eight EC member-states (Estonia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia)

© AP Photo/Kai-Uwe Knoth

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MOSCOW, May 28. /TASS/. Russian gas giant Gazprom does not expect the European Commission penalties under the antimonopoly probe to be tangible, a source in the company told TASS on Thursday.

"I think these will be small, if any at all," the source said responding to the question regarding the potential penalties.

TASS reported earlier on April 22 the European Commission sent the official list of claims within the European antitrust probe to Gazprom. Gazprom has 12 weeks to respond to the official list of claims. EC suspects Gazprom of abusing its leading position on the gas market in eight EC member-states (Estonia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia), and also has questions to its system of long-term contracts and pricing system.

EC representatives said they are going to hold talks on antimonopoly claims with representatives of the company and not with the Russian authorities.

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