Poland to Introduce Legislation Safeguarding Shale Riches

In a move that may be designed to disarm political opponents, Poland’s deputy treasury minister said that the government is planning to introduce regulations for shale gas production including fees or even mandatory participation of the state in output in order to safeguard its interests.

Speaking at an economic forum being held in Krynica, Mikolaj Budzanowski said special legislation aimed at keeping gas prices low and securing budgetary inflows could be approved next year.

'Poland's interests could be protected through (special) taxes or fees or the state's stake in gas production from licences,' Budzanowski said.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the opposition Law and Justice Party, has been calling for the need to secure control of Poland's shale gas deposits for the benefit of all its citizens.

"Poland faces the matter of a national dimension - how to organize shale gas extraction from Polish deposits so that it serves Poland and Poles," Kaczynski commented in August.

Kaczynski has warned of the country losing control of its shale gas fields to those who have “completely different interests than Poland.”

With prospective shale acreage mostly allocated, part of Kaczynski concern lies in the view of many that Polish authorities granted shale concessions, mostly to foreign companies, too cheaply.

A poll conducted by OBOP indicated eighty two percent of Poles think that Poland should develop its own technologies to extract shale gas deposits, and keep the profits.