At a ceremony held in Świnoujście on Poland's western Baltic coast to lay the cornerstone for the future liquefied natural gas terminal, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke of the nation moving towards greater energy independence.

"Poland will be a country secure in terms of gas supplies and a country able to trade it in case of surpluses," said Tusk.

"Taking into consideration Polish natural gas deposits, the long-term contract with Russia, the long-term contract with Qatar and the infrastructure, investments in gas pipelines and interconnectors, as well as the increasingly intensive and promising search of shale gas, we can believe that during the next three, thirteen or even thirty years Poland will not be a gas giant but a country secure in terms of gas supplies" the PM said.

"The LNG terminal is a key element of a set of investments and economic, financial and political projects which are aimed at establishing Poland's and Europe's energy security."

The Swinoujscie liquefied natural gas terminal is expected to cost some PLN 3 billion. Construction should be completed in 2013, with the terminal expected to be fully operational in 30 June 2014.

Source: wnp.pl