Polish Government Pushes Saipem on LNG Projects

Polish treasury minister Andrzej Czerwinski said on Monday he would meet Italian construction firm Saipem next week to ensure a liquefied gas terminal on the Baltic Sea opens in 2015 after numerous delays.

Saipem is leading the consortium building the terminal aimed at cutting Poland's dependence on Russian gas imports.

After missing an originally planned completion data of 2014, the company said earlier this year it would finish construction of the terminal at Swinoujscie this summer only if it received further payment.

"The terminal will definitely be ready by the end of this year," Czerwinski told Reuters. "I am going to Swinoujscie next week to learn all the details. I will also meet the ambassador and the contractor's representatives to find out what still needs to be done to complete the project."

Czerwinski was appointed treasury minister earlier this month as part of a broader government re-shuffle ahead of a parliamentary election later this year.

The minister also said he would take a closer look at the sale of PKP Energetyka, a power unit of Poland's state-owned railways.

The sale process is coming to an end with Poland's fourth biggest utility Energa and private equity fund CVC the front runners, according to local media.

"I want to take a look at the privatisation of PKP Energetyka, that is why I asked for all the documents and details connected with the process. I have the impression that the opposition by the employees is a signal that the case need special attention," Czerwinski said.

Reporting by Wojciech urawski