MOSCOW, October 8. /TASS/. The decision of the Polish regulator UOKiK to fine Gazprom and European companies cooperating with the holding in the Nord Stream 2 projects was made for the sake of the idea of creating an alternative hub for US liquefied natural gas resale in Eastern European countries, official spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at the briefing on Thursday.

"Obviously, this refers to the next politically motivated attempt of applying pressure to the Russian gas exporter that reliably provided European consumers with natural gas for years and years. We are not surprised at all by Warsaw’s attempts to impede construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline by means of murky measures, including use of measures obviously not corresponding to the jurisdiction of Poland’s establishments," Zakharova said. Behind the decision to impose the fine "is the intention to materialize, obviously in favor of Washington, the idea of creating an alternative gas hub for resale of the US liquefied natural gas to Eastern European countries," she added.

Warsaw "fully ignores principles of fair competition and interests of European users, essentially undermining the European energy and, by the way, environmental safety," Zakharova noted.

On October 7, the Polish regulator UOKiK made the decision to impose a fine on the Russian gas holding Gazprom and five European companies cooperating with it and demanded termination of agreements made under the project between Nord Stream 2 AG and Gazprom and European investors - OMV, Wintershall, Engie, Shell and Uniper. Gazprom said it intends to dispute the fine.