Polish Politics and Energy Security

On a recent trip to London, a leading contender for Poland’s presidency Bronislaw Komorowski, made quite a stir with his questionable comments on shale gas.

Mr. Komorowski incorrectly said the production of shale gas would resemble the extraction of brown coal. It would mean using open-pit technologies and thereby destroy Poland’s protected landscape areas, he said.

The successful commercial development of shale gas projects in Poland would change the country’s energy mix, allowing for reduced dependence on natural gas imported from Russia.

Given the importance of energy security, Polish Market published the comments of leading candidates, including Mr. Komorowski, in the run-up to Poland’s  presidential elections on June 20th.

Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the Law and Justice party called shale gas the “new great chance”.

“Shale gas is a great opportunity for Poland, it is a chance for Poland to become another Norway. A country which will be able to use it, from an economic and political point of view, because this would be a shift in the geopolitical situation in this part of Europe” he said.

Undoubtedly referring to Russia, Kaczyński noted  “the situation of one-sided dependence is from a political point of view, and first of all from an economic point of view, very unfavorable. It can lead to high prices being imposed.”

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